04/June/2014 – MVC w/double entrapment & Air Evac – “B” Shift

Incident # 14-03293 – Engine 13 and Medic 13 responded to a high speed rollover accident on I-95 at the 41 mile marker northbound, Wednesday morning 4-June at 04:04. The units found a tractor trailer tanker truck on its side in the woods with heavy damage to the jack knifed cab. The vehicle left the roadway at a high rate of speed, struck over a dozen trees before coming to rest down an embankment. The tanker was hauling a full load of orange juice. 9-1-1 dispatchers had only received one report of the accident indicating a vehicle was in the woods. As crews began assessing the scene, they saw two sets of hands motioning from the crashed cab. Firefighter-Paramedics removed the remaining windshield, but could not reach the occupants. A heavy rescue unit, one additional ambulance and a short time later a medical helicopter were requested and assigned to the incident. They were able to remove debris from the area of the sleeper to visualize the people inside, but still could not reach them. Crews spent about 10 minutes removing additional debris to extricate the female passenger. The adult female had been partially ejected from the sleeper and suffered multiple traumatic injuries, including a head injury. Crews extricated the woman through the sleeper.  When Medic 1 arrived, the female patient was turned over to them, then transported approximately 1 mile north of the accident to meet with LifeNet 4 who landed on the Interstate.

The tree cover at the accident site was too thick for the helicopter to land at the scene. LifeNet flew the patient the Trauma Center at MUSC in Charleston. Firefighter-Paramedics continued working to extricate the driver. They used a reciprocating saw to cut the roof off of the truck. The 63 year old Florida man was extricated in about 25 minutes and transported to Colleton Medical Center. He also received multiple traumatic injuries and was later transferred to the Trauma Center at MUSC. Northbound traffic on I-95 was down to one lane for over an hour and completely blocked while the helicopter was on the ground. Approximately 300 gallons of orange juice leaked into the surrounding swamp. The SC Highway Patrol is investigating the crash.

Engine 13, Medic 1, Medic 13, Rescue 1, Battalion 1 and Car 12 responded. Battalion Chief Brent Dalton served as Incident Commander.