Colleton County Fire-Rescue

11/4/2008

Stations 1, 6, 18 and 19 responded to a single car, high speed MVC on I-95 at the 47 mile marker south bound at the rest area. The accident occurred Tuesday morning 4-November at 01:20 AM. The southbound Ford Explorer appeared to have experienced a blown tire, causing the 17 year old driver to lose control. The vehicle rolled over multiple times ejecting the driver who was not wearing a seatbelt. He suffered multiple fractures and other trauma injures. Bystanders pulled the teenager from under the vehicle prior to the arrival of Firefighters. Five other passengers were injured in the crash. The front seat passenger was trapped in the wreckage and received critical head trauma. The other injured patients were able to exit the vehicle on their own. The four men complained of a variety of injuries, none of which were life threatening.
 
Firefighters used hydraulic rescue tools to free the trapped man. He was treated at the scene by Firefighter-Paramedics who had to perform a Rapid Sequence Intubation maneuver to secure the man's airway. No medical helicopters were able to fly due to the poor weather. Doctors at Colleton Medical Center diverted the ambulance with the critically injured man to MUSC in Charleston, so the patient was transported by ambulance directly to the Trauma Center from the scene. A second Fire-Rescue ambulance was diverted with two patients to
Coastal Medical Center in Hardeeville, due to the over load at Colleton Medical Center, who was handling a shooting victim and several other serious patients at the time of the accident, including the severely injured driver. The front seat passenger was in critical condition in ICU at MUSC early morning Tuesday. The SC Highway Patrol is investigating the crash.
 
Engine 1, Rescue 1, Medic 6, Medic 18, Medic 19, Medic 27, Battalion 1 and Truck 12 responded. Battalion Chief Rich Ellis served as Incident Commander.