Ten people were injured, one critically, in a high-speed, five-car collision on Interstate 95 near the 64 mile marker southbound in Colleton County SC, Monday afternoon 22-May at 13:41. All vehicles were traveling southbound when several collided causing a Nissan Altima to drive under the trailer of a tractor-trailer truck. The car became wedged under the trailer and the rear tandem wheels drove up over the car crushing the front seat passenger in the car.
Barry W. McRoy photo
Barry W. McRoy photo
The 45-year old Florida woman was conscious, but suffered multiple traumatic injuries. The wheels of the trailer where on top of her legs. A military medic stopped and treated the woman prior to Fire-Rescue arriving. The southbound lanes of I-95 were blocked due to the wreckage and debris. Heavy traffic backed up for several miles, hampering emergency units from reaching the accident. Once on scene, Fire-Rescue units began treating the injured and stabilizing the tractor trailer and Nissan.
The female patient was found to be heavily entrapped in the wreckage with little access. There was approximately three feet of intrusion into the passenger compartment. Firefighter-paramedics treated her in the car and used Holmatro rescue tools to remove the driver’s side doors and roof. Other crewmembers built a box crib under the rear axles of the trailer, then used small hydraulic jacks and Holmatro high-pressure air bags to lift the trailer approximately 18 inches off of the car. A winch on a fire department vehicle was used to pull the car from under the trailer.
Barry W. McRoy photo
Barry W. McRoy photo
Barry W. McRoy photo
Barry W. McRoy photo
The patient remained trapped under the door and dash which was crushed down on her lower extremities. Crews rigged chains to the door and a nearby guard rail support, then used Holmatro spreaders to pull the door off of the patient. Another set of spreaders was used to displace the dash to free the patient. After 49 minutes, she was extricated with spinal precautions, then transported emergent to the trauma center at Trident Medical Center in Medic 26. No helicopters could fly due to poor weather conditions.
Barry W. McRoy photo
Barry W. McRoy photo
Barry W. McRoy photo
Two other patients were transported with non-life threatening injuries to Colleton Medical Center by Medic 9. The remaining patients were treated at the scene for various traumatic injuries, but did not require ambulance transportation. Southbound traffic on I-95 was backed up for eight miles. The SC Highway Patrol is investigating the crash.
Engine 5, Engine 26, Rescue 1, Medic 1, Medic 9, Medic 26, Car 105, Car 109, Car 110, Car 111, Car 116, and Car 118 responded. Battalion Chief Scott Feather served as Incident Commander.
Barry W. McRoy, Fire Chief, Colleton County Fire-Rescue
A truck driver is credited with saving the lives of three people following a multi-vehicle accident on I-95 near the 49 mile marker northbound, Sunday 30-April at 09:53 in Colleton County, SC. Apparently, a car collided with a pickup truck causing the pickup to spin out of control on the rain slick highway. The car slid down the embankment and struck a tree trapping the male driver. The pickup truck came to rest sideways in the travel lanes. A northbound tractor-trailer was able to stop quickly and maneuver sideways stopping within two feet of the driver’s door of the disabled pickup truck avoiding a collision. A second northbound pickup truck drove into the rear of the tractor trailer at a high rate of speed with about five feet of the truck going under the back of the trailer. The male driver of the second pickup truck was heavily entrapped in his vehicle.
Both northbound lanes of I-95 were blocked by the wreckage. The first Colleton County (SC) Fire-Rescue unit found the driver of the second pickup truck conscious but entrapped. A medical helicopter was requested, but declined the flight due to poor weather conditions. The driver of the car was also trapped with the roof crushed into the passenger compartment. The man had no pulse and was not breathing. The Coroner’s Office was notified.
Firefighter-Paramedics removed debris from the passenger side of the pickup truck and were able to enter the vehicle. Access to the patient was limited, but patient care was initiated while other crewmembers deployed Holmatro rescue tools, using hydraulic spreaders to remove the driver’s door. Crews had the tractor trailer driver carefully pull the truck forward about three feet to provide room to displace the dash. The hydraulic spreader was used to push the dash forward and off of the patient who was extricated with spinal precautions and transported emergent by Medic 13 to the trauma center at Trident.
When the Coroner’s Office completed their investigation, extrication began on the passenger car. Hydraulic spreaders were used to remove the driver’s door, then cutters were used to remove the front section of the roof to free the driver who was transported by the Coroner’s Office. A female passenger in the same vehicle received only minor injuries and was transported to Colleton Medical Center by Medic 26. Northbound traffic on I-95 was stopped in the area of the accident for over two hours.
Engine 1, Rescue 1, Medic 1, Medic 13, Medic 26, Battalion 1, and Car 109 responded. Battalion Chief Brent Dalton served as Incident Commander.
Barry W. McRoy ,Fire Chief ,Colleton County Fire-Rescue
Two Colleton County (SC) residents died following a head-on collision in the 1700 block of Jefferies Highway (US Hwy 15) just north of Wintergreen Road early Sunday morning 11-September at 02:07. A Jeep Grand Cherokee and a Geo Metro struck head-on at a high rate of speed on a straight portion of roadway causing extensive damage to both vehicles and trapping all three occupants.
Fire-Rescue Medic 19 arrived to find Jefferies Highway blocked by the wreckage. The unrestrained occupants of the Geo were heavily entrapped and had no signs of life. The unrestrained driver of the Jeep suffered multiple traumatic injuries. Colleton County Firefighter-Paramedics used Holmatro rescue tools to remove the driver’s side door on the Jeep to gain access to the driver. He was treated during the extrication, then transported by Medic 19 to the trauma center at Trident Medical in Summerville.
After the Coroner’s Office conducted their investigation, firefighter-paramedics used Holmatro rescue tools to remove the roof and doors on the Geo to access the patients. A hydraulic ram was used to displace the dash off of one victim to allow for the person to be extricated from the car. The Coroner’s Office transported both victims to Colleton Medical Center. Traffic in the area of the accident was detoured for five hours until the SC Highway Patrol completed their investigation.
Engine 19, Engine 26, Medic 19, Medic 26, Rescue 1, Battalion 1 and Car 12 responded. Captain Justin Warko served as Incident Commander.
Barry W. McRoy, Fire Chief, Colleton County Fire-Rescue
Long Grove (IL) firefighters were assisted by Buffalo Grove, Lincolnshire-Riverwoods, and Palatine firefighters at the scene of a crash with an extensive extrication Friday morning, 9/2/16 at the intersection of Lake-Cook Road and IL Route 53. The driver of a car was trapped after slamming into and becoming wedged underneath the rear of a tractor-trailer around 1:30AM. Three sets of hydraulic tools were utilized during the extrication which lasted close to an hour. A helicopter was requested but was cancelled as the patient was transported to Lutheran General Hospital by Palatine Ambulance 82.
