A Chicopee man was among the first on the scene. He was working close enough to the curve to hear and feel the explosion.

"We've seen a lot of wrecks before and come up onto unusual situations but never witnessed anything like this," said Chuck Swider, President of Chuck's Auto Service. Swider was one of the first people at the tractor trailer fire on 91 in Chicopee Friday morning. He has run his towing company for 30 years, right down the road from the fiery scene. He was driving in the area when he heard the first explosion. "We heard the first explosion then another explosion," said Swider.

He was not sure if the crash was a tanker or a small airplane, so he called police immediately. And went down to watch what was happening. "We heard a loud explosion, and saw billowing black smoke coming from what seemed to be the junkyard down on Center Street. It looked like a volcano with fire traveling down the side of the hill onto center street," said Swider.

His company usually responds to accidents on the Chicopee curve for state police, but did not on Friday because of seriousness of the accident. He says that area of the road has seen its tragedies. "We've been in the towing business for 30 years, working for state police, that curve in both directions seems to be a tragedy for motorists."