By George L. Nitti
On March 28, one of the casualties of a wicked snow squall that descended upon Schulylkill County, Pennsylvania, which caused a massive pile-up on Interstate 81, 50 miles north of Harrisburg, was a tanker filled with chocolate syrup enroute to Hershey Park.
Mark Hammer, owner/president and operator of their 65-ton NRC rotator, along with Jeremy Richards, the operator of their Century 75-ton rotator, were both instrumental in removing the tanker, one of the last recoveries made amidst many entangled and mangled vehicles numbering more than 80.
At the recovery scene, many contaminants were released on the roadside and vehicles were burned up from fire. According to Hammer, those were a couple of the many challenges they faced during the clean-up.
Hammer added “The tanker recovery was challenging because it was full of liquid chocolate and because the heat from the fire was so significant, the tanker/product was left at a dangerously high temperature.”
The crew of Hammer’s decided it best to let the tanker sit and cool down while they worked on recoveries around it.
When it came time to remove the tanker with the 65 and 75 ton rotators, Hammer said they first attempted to sit it on a bus hauler for transport.
“However, it was determined that this was not the safest method,” said Hammer. “Therefore crews placed a dolly underneath the front of the tanker and chained and secured everything for transport.”
Finally all axles were chained and the tanker was towed from the rear.
Credit goes to all of the operators at Hammer’s including both Hammer and Richards, along with tow operators Dwayne Kimmel, Dale Reightler, Shawn Houtz, Daniel Shuman, Brian Huntzinger, and Brian Staller.
Brag @ TIW!
Should your recovery be featured here? Send pics and your contact information to the editor at georgenitti@gmail.com. You might even be selected to go in print, too, in American Towman magazine!
By George L. Nitti
On March 28, 2022, two of the larger tow companies in Schulylkill County, Pennsylvania, were dispatched to attend to a massive pile-up on Interstate 81, 50 miles north of Harrisburg. The tragic event involved over 80 vehicles that included several deaths, numerous casualties, and lots of damaged vehicles, including passenger vehicles, box trucks, RVs, motorhomes, tractor trailers and even tankers. The cause: a blinding snow squall that suddenly enveloped the roadway.
Enter Hammer’s Towing and Trail Towing & Recovery. Both companies worked side by side, for almost two days, laboriously extracting one vehicle after another until the job was finished and the roadway cleared.
Mike Gula, owner of Trail Towing said, “Usually we work against each other. This time we worked together. And it worked really well. I think we buried the hatchet on this one.”
Mark Hammer, owner of Hammer’s Towing said, “We started around 8 p.m. and worked around the clock. We didn’t finish until 12 a.m. the following evening.” Gula said, “It was definitely one of the worst recoveries I have ever seen.... It was two days of hell. No sleep for two days.”
The nightmarish scene exposed countless vehicles that were entangled, mangled and burned. Hammer said, “There were over 80 vehicles involved so there was a lot to work through.” Before a recovery ensued, each vehicle had to be checked for passengers and cleared by police. Gula added, “It was a slow process at first until they had everybody accounted for.”
Fire was also involved, completely burning up some of the vehicles. Hammer said, “There was fuel oil, diesel, antifreeze, and other contaminants soaking the roadway that crews had to work in.” Noting the horror of one of the burned vehicles, Jeremy Richards, 75 ton rotator operator of Hammer’s said, “There was a pick-up truck pulling a camper. It was so burned, you couldn’t even make it out from one of the pictures.”
Adding to the challenge, was the grinding, tedious nature of the work. “You know what happens when you get tired,” Gula said. “Everything becomes a hassle. Everytime you would get to the next truck, it would be a different story. For one recovery, we needed a dolly, for another a Landoll. I said, “We might be able to tow this one, but we have to do 13 things first.’”
Both companies spared no equipment nor manpower to get the job done. Hammer’s brought along several rotators, heavy duty wreckers, a bus hauler, a service truck and a flatbed. Trail was also deep in equipment. Gula said, “You need a lot of other set ups to go along with the heavy duty trucks. Landolls, skidloaders, dollies, dumpsters…. It’s one thing to go up there and hope that most things roll, but the fact is that they didn’t.”
Not only were both companies aided by ample equipment, but employed over 20 tow operators to clear the scene. Gula commented, “It’s great to have all of the equipment in the world, but the main thing is help. All of my guys are awesome. I turn around at 2 a.m. in the morning, and all my guys are there.”
At the end of the day, Hammer estimated that they pulled out over 3 dozen trucks and cars. Gula estimated that for every vehicle Hammer’s pulled out, they pulled out in equal proportion.
Side by side, working together, two competitors united for the common good.
Brag @ TIW!
Should your recovery be featured here? Send pics and your contact information to the editor at georgenitti@gmail.com. You might even be selected to go in print, too, in American Towman magazine!
By George L. Nitti
Low clearance light duty recoveries benefit from the use of specialized tow equipment, like EasTract’s Tow Tract, a remote-control robot that requires no touching the vehicle.
In February, Tow Atlanta, located in Atlanta, Georgia, was called to recover a 2019 Jeep Grand Cherokee AWD with their Tow Tract named TARVA, at the Four Seasons Hotel in their underground parking deck with clearance of only six ft. two inches.
Owner Lionel “Bo” Clarke said, “We use the Tow Tract for a lot of underground parking and low clearance areas. It’s a touch free way to do towing. We get a lot of use out of it in Atlanta but also all over Georgia, as it goes out multiple times per week.”
Instead of using a wheel lift, Tow Atlanta brought out TARVA, navigating hands free to the Jeep Cherokee, located six basement levels down, where it was stuck in the middle of the driveway.
Part of the reason they used it was because when they went to pick up the vehicle, the hood latch release was broken, and they could not open the hood. Also, the Jeep Cherokee needed to be transported up six levels, 12 incline ramps through 14 hair pin turns.
Clarke said, “If there was a truck to fit into the 6’2” deck, it would be impossible for a wheel lift to be able to carry that Jeep on dollies and still navigate the hairpin turns.”
Arriving on scene, TARVA safely cradled all four tires of the Cherokee. Through a series of articulations, it moved the disabled vehicle on its “back," resulting in only 24 plus or minus inches to the vehicles overall height and allowing moving the vehicle out of the very low, tight space, guided by a remote control.
Clarke said, “I used to send out multiple trucks; now I don’t have to. It also saves on labor.”
TARVA carried the Cherokee from six basement levels out into the parking lot, where it was loaded on a Hino flatbed and then successfully delivered to the dealership.
“The recovery was completed in 45 minutes and we billed at triple rate due to the equipment required for the complexity,” Clarke said. “Insurance paid same day.”
Brag @ TIW!
Should your recovery be featured here? Send pics and your contact information to the editor at georgenitti@gmail.com. You might even be selected to go in print, too, in American Towman magazine!
By George L. Nitti
By George L. Nitti 
