Remains of an individual suspected to be those of Randall McDougal, 63, of El Dorado, have been recovered from the site of an explosion that occurred earlier today along U.S. Highway 278 west of Camden east of the Nevada – Ouachita county line near Arkansas Highway 57. The Arkansas State Police has requested the human remains to be examined for positive identification by the Arkansas State Crime Laboratory.
State troopers have learned that McDougal was employed by Blann Trucking Company of Hampton, the owner of the vehicle that was carrying ammonium nitrate from El Dorado to Texarkana.
Area fire department personnel were notified about 6:40 AM today that the truck brakes of the commercial carrier truck believed to be driven by McDougal were on fire and the driver was attempting to extinguish the blaze.
The first fire department personnel on the scene had begun to evacuate residents who live in the area and reportedly witnessed McDougal return to the truck when it exploded.
The roadway remains closed as the result of a large hole caused by the explosion that stretches across the highway.
