I-91 tanker crash, a year later

CHICOPEE, Mass. (WWLP) - One year has passed since that fateful Friday when a tractor trailer driver lost his life at the Chicopee Curve on interstate 91.

22News reflects back on the day and finds out what's being done to make that stretch of roadway safer.

Bob King can't believe it's been one year since that massive tanker crash on interstate 91. He can still vividly remember running up the hill from Rockrimmon Auto Parts to see what caught fire.

Bob King said, "it was kind of scary because we did know if our place would catch fire because we have cars with gas tanks."

Inside that inferno, the truck driver, 43-year-old Aaron Staelens, who died from his injuries.

His sister, Heidi Riordan told 22News, "A day has not gone by that I have not thought about him, please help me remind everyone of the sacrifice my wonderful brother made."

It was determined that the design of the Chicopee Curve didn't cause the crash, instead, Staelens was allegedly trying to avoid another car driven by Victor Aponte.

Work is being done to prevent other disasters. Albert Stegeman from Mass High told 22news there's currently a 19 million dollar construction project going on on interstate 91. Here at the Chicopee curve specifically they are taking out the guard rails and replacing them with concrete barriers preventing a car from flipping over into on-coming traffic."

Also, included in road improvements is repaving, upgrading some of the signs and new line striping.

Albert Stegemens says the multi million dollars project is simply scheduled maintenance, but Mass High wanted to include measures to make the Chicopee curve easier to travel through.