27/December/2018 – Fatal MVC with Air Evac – “A” Shift

Incident # 18-08927 – A New York man was fatally injured in a single car MVC on I-95 at the 41 mile marker southbound Thursday morning 27-December at 05:01. The southbound SUV left the roadway and went down a 15 foot embankment before striking a large tree and catching fire. The man’s 16 year old daughter was also in the vehicle and received multiple traumatic injuries. She was able to escape from the burning vehicle and attempted to reach her father from the driver’s side, but could not open the door. She made several attempts but was driven away by the flames. Her father also suffered multiple traumatic injuries, with several fractures to both legs and pelvis. He was unable to exit the car. As tragic as the incident was unfolding on this dark rural stretch of I-95, a passing motorist from Pennsylvania stopped and ran down the embankment to the burning car. Andrew Hack was able to force open the driver’s door enough to access the driver. The man’s clothing was burning, but Mr. Hack ignored his own safety, pulled the adult male from the burning SUV and dragged him a safe distance from the car, saving his life. He extinguished the burning clothing and remained with the man until Firefighter-Paramedics arrived a few minutes later. Crews quickly placed the injured man on a stretcher and Mr. Hack, along with a truck driver, assisted the First Responders in carrying the man up the hill to the ambulance.

One additional Fire-Rescue ambulance was assigned to the incident and a medical helicopter was requested. Firefighters deployed one handline to extinguish the car fire which destroyed the vehicle and set the surrounding woods on fire. Firefighter-Paramedics worked to stabilized the critically injured man who in addition to his other injuries, suffered second and third degree burns over approximately 40% of his body and was experiencing trouble breathing. Fire-Rescue Medic 13 transported the man to the 39 mile marker to meet with the medical helicopter. That location was clear of trees and made a better landing zone. LifeNet 4 landed on the Interstate. The Flight Crew helped to stabilize the patient’s airway and flew the man to the Burn/Trauma Center at Doctor’s Hospital in Augusta GA where he later passed away due to his injuries. The man’s daughter was transported by Fire-Rescue Medic 1 to Colleton Medical Center in Walterboro. She was stabilized and later transferred by private ambulance to the Trauma Center at Trident Hospital in North Charleston. Southbound traffic on I-95 was down to one lane for two hours and backed up for six miles. The SCHP is investigating the crash.  

Engine 1, Medic 1, Medic 13, Tender 27, Battalion 1 and Car 112 responded. Battalion Chief Scott O’Quinn served as Incident Commander.