12/February/2016 – Fatal MVC with Double Entrapment – “B” Shift

Incident # 16-00808 – A 21 year old Cottageville man died following a two vehicle head-on collision in the 5800 block of Cottageville Hwy (US Hwy 17-A) Friday morning 12-February at 05:35. Fire-Rescue units from Station #9 arrived to find a 2007 Ford Pick-up truck on the north bound shoulder with heavy damage. The engine had been thrown 50 feet into the nearby swamp. The driver suffered multiple traumatic injuries and was trapped in the wreckage with no signs of life. An empty tractor trailer dump truck was in the woods on the south bound side. The tractor trailer struck several large trees after the collision with the pickup. The 70 year old truck driver was also trapped in the wreckage of his vehicle. Engine 9 requested an additional Station and Ambulance to be assigned to the incident. Cottageville Highway was blocked due the wreckage. Firefighter-Paramedics began treating the truck driver in the cab, while other crewmembers used Holmatro Rescue Tools to displace the dash and remove the seat. The driver was extricated with full spinal precautions, then carried through the swamp and up an embankment to Medic 19. He was transported to Colleton Medical Center with multiple, non-life threatening injuries.

The Coroner’s Office responded to the scene. Following their investigation, Firefighters used Holmatro Rescue Tools to extricate the driver of the pickup truck. The Coroner’s Office transported his body. It appeared the north bound pickup left the roadway, over-corrected, then crossed into the path of the south bound tractor trailer. The collision punctured and dislodged one of the large fuel tanks off of the dump truck spreading diesel fuel over the entire scene. SCDOT brought a sand truck to cover the spilled fuel. Traffic on Cottageville Hwy. was detoured at Round O Cross Roads north of the accident and Coolers Dairy Road on the south side for six hours, until the accident could be cleared. SCDOT and the Sheriff’s Office assisted with traffic control.

Engine 9, Engine 19, Medic 9, Medic 19, Rescue 1, Battalion 1 and Car 12 responded. Battalion Chief Brent Dalton served as Incident Commander.