S.C. flooding claims lives of two R.J. Corman workers; NS restores most service in the state

Two employees of R.J. Corman Railroad Group died on Wednesday as a result of a truck accident related to the devastating floods in South Carolina, the company confirmed in a statement.

Early Wednesday, an R.J. Corman truck carrying five employees fell into a large hole in the road created by flood water on Congaree Road in Eastover, S.C. Three of the five were able to get out of the truck to safety, but two employees — Ricky McDonald and Bob Vance — were unable to escape the floodwaters, according to the company’s statement.

McDonald, 53, of Chesapeake, Ohio, worked for the company for six years. Vance, 58, of Lexington, Ky., had been employed for three years.

The company said it is still gathering information about the accident and cooperating with an ongoing official investigation.

"The most current information we have indicates that our employees acted in a cautious manner and one in compliance with internal policies and road restrictions," according to the statement.

Flooding caused by historic rainfall has wreaked havoc on South Carolina this past week. Yesterday, Gov. Nikki Haley toured the flood damage and warned of more flooding to come, as swollen rivers were expected to deliver more water to low-lying and coastal parts of the state.

Meanwhile, Norfolk Southern Railway announced in an operations update yesterday that it has restored operations on most key rail lines in South Carolina that were damaged due to the flooding. The Columbia-to-Spartanburg Line is projected to be out of service for two to three weeks due to bridge repairs, the update stated.