The driver of a B-train fuel truck got some unexpected help from a stranger when his tire chains broke on a hill in Nanaimo during a snow storm.
The big rig was struggling to get up the snow-packed hill on Nicol Street between Esplanade and Milton Street at about 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 5, when Erik Jessen happened by to lend a hand.
Jessen said he pulled up behind the B-train and waited behind the truck to make sure other vehicles didnB次元官网网址檛 run into it as its driver chained up to try to make it up the hill. Snow was falling heavily and road conditions were worsening when the B-trainB次元官网网址檚 driver was finally ready to attempt the hill.
Jessen, 23, a heavy equipment operator for the Regional District of Nanaimo who also owns an excavating company, was driving his heavy-duty four-wheel-drive Dodge diesel pickup, which is equipped with emergency flashers and recovery equipment for freeing stuck vehicles. He followed as the fuel truck struggled up the hill until it again began to spin its wheels and stopped about halfway up. The chains the driver had installed on the tires, Jessen said, were new, but had disintegrated under the load of the transport truck, even though its trailer tanks were mostly empty because the driver had just delivered a load of fuel to a ship in Nanaimo Habour.
B次元官网网址淚 followed them up the hill to make sure nobody would run into the back of them because they were going at a snailB次元官网网址檚 pace,B次元官网网址� Jessen said. B次元官网网址淭hen he started spin out and he stopped, so I went up to him and said I have all my recovery gear. I can hook up and try to pull you up the hill, if you would like. He said, B次元官网网址業f you think you can do it, then letB次元官网网址檚 do it.B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址�
Jessen hooked up his towing strap, put his truck in low gear and began his attempt to pull the B-train up the hill despite the considerable difference in size and weight between the two vehicles.
B次元官网网址淚 just slowly started taking tension on the strap and when I got tension, I just started going B次元官网网址� and just pulled him slow and steady until we got to the top where itB次元官网网址檚 flat,B次元官网网址� Jessen said.
Jessen then followed the rig to a facility on Tenth Street to make sure the truck and driver didnB次元官网网址檛 encounter further issues.
Les Girard, a friend of JessenB次元官网网址檚, was shovelling snow from a sidewalk when saw JessenB次元官网网址檚 Dodge pickup towing the tractor-trailer rig up Nicol Street. The scene was also captured on one of GirardB次元官网网址檚 security cameras.
B次元官网网址淚 could hear the chains of the tanker truck trying to make it up the hill and figured he was going to have issues,B次元官网网址� Girard said, in a social media post. B次元官网网址淚 turn around to look if he was going to make it and to see my buddy pulling, it was pretty wicked.B次元官网网址�
Jessen said he stopped because he likes to help others and his father is a truck driver.
B次元官网网址淚 know how frustrating it is to be stuck,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淪o I just thought IB次元官网网址檇 lend a helping hand, show some love to some fellow truckers and see if I can do what I can to get them going.B次元官网网址�
Jessen said he has had his pickup for about six years and in that time he estimates he has helped hundreds of vehicles out of trouble. He graduated from Vancouver Island UniversityB次元官网网址檚 heavy equipment operator program in 2016, but said he has been fascinated with heavy machinery since he was seven years old.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 something thatB次元官网网址檚 just natural to me and in my blood,B次元官网网址� Jessen said. B次元官网网址淚f I see a piece of machinery IB次元官网网址檒l go and look at it and just, basically, drool over it.B次元官网网址�
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