Chaos reigned Monday in Long County when an 18-wheeler ran off the road in Ludowici and struck two power poles, snarling traffic for two hours and cutting off electricity to parts of the city. Soon after that, two brush fires — unrelated to the wreck — broke out and agencies from neighboring areas were called in to assist.

Power pole problems

Ludowici Police Department Officer Adam Denton said a tractor-trailer had been traveling west on Highway 84 when it hit two poles and became entangled in power lines. Denton, who responded to the call at about 3 p.m., said the semi also took out several road signs. When the vehicle skidded to a stop, power lines were draped across the truck. 
The semi driver, Delora A. Schnorr of Newington, was the only person involved in the single-vehicle accident and she was not injured, Denton said.
Traffic on Highway 84 was shut down for approximately two hours. Electricity was cut off to parts of the city, according to LPD Officer Raymond Govero, but was restored at around 7 p.m. after both power poles had been replaced.
Schnorr reportedly told Denton the accident happened when another car cut her off and she lost control of the 18-wheeler when she tried to avoid hitting the car.
Denton said that no charges have been filed.

Breaking blazes

Shortly after the 3 p.m. tractor-trailer accident, two brush fires broke out in Long County and agencies from neighboring areas were called in to assist.
Ludowici/Long County Fire Department Assistant Chief Richard Truman said the department received a call at about 3:30 p.m. that a brush fire had broken out in the area of Tibet and Guyette roads when a controlled burn reportedly jumped a fire break. 
A tractor from the Long County Georgia Forestry unit re-plowed the breaks and contained the fire, which had been headed in the direction of Tibet Mobile Home Park, Truman said. The Walthourville Fire Department also sent reinforcements. The blaze was under control by 5:40 p.m. and no structures were damaged. Truman was unsure how many acres burned.
As units fought that blaze, a second brush fire was reported on Pearl Davis Road at 4:46 p.m. The road was closed as a public-safety precaution.
Truman said the fire threatened approximately 15 structures, so additional resources were requested. Georgia Forestry units from Long, Liberty and Wayne counties plowed breaks around the fire, and a unit from the Hinesville Fire Department responded, Truman said. The assistant chief said 22 firefighters worked the fire, which was under control at 6:08 p.m.
No structures were damaged, but approximately five acres were destroyed, Truman said. The cause of the fire has not yet been determined and the case still is under investigation.