30/August/2020 – Fatal MVC with entrapment and Air Evac – “B” Shift

Incident # 20-05968 - A Williams man was killed, a woman was critically injured, a 34 yr. old man received minor injuries and three children (ages 10 to 17) received non-life threatening injuries in a head-on collision in the 800 block of Williams Road (SC Hwy 212) north of Bells Hwy Sunday evening 30-August. At 20:58, 9-1-1 was notified of the accident. Fire-Rescue units from the Bells Crossroads station arrived three minutes later to find the two heavily damaged vehicles blocking the roadway. They requested two additional ambulances, a Rescue unit and two medical helicopters. The drivers of both vehicles, a Chevrolet minivan and a Ford Focus were trapped in the wreckage. A family was traveling south in the mini-van and all occupants were wearing seatbelts. Everyone in the mini-van was able to walk away from the vehicle except the driver. Most of the damage was on the front driver’s side with intrusion into the interior. The driver suffered multiple traumatic injuries. The 34 yr. old male who was driving the Focus was not wearing a seatbelt. His vehicle was traveling north bound. He also suffered multiple traumatic injuries and was unconscious inside the car. Firefighter-Paramedics used Holmatro Rescue Tools on both vehicles to extricate the drivers and performed the extrications simultaneously with several sets of hydraulic tools. Both patients were extricated with spinal precautions. Other crewmembers set up a landing zone at the Bells Elementary School about two miles from the scene. The CARE Flight helicopter and Meducare helicopter responded to the school and landed in the field in front of the facility. Both drivers were transported from the scene to the school by Fire-Rescue Medic 7 and Medic 18. Medic 26 transported the ambulatory adult man and the three children to Colleton Medical Center. Meducare flew the adult female driver of the mini-van to the Trauma Center at MUSC in Charleston.

CARE Flight and Fire-Rescue worked on the scene to secure the driver of the Focus’ airway before he was flown to the Trauma Center at Trident Hospital. The roadway was blocked for three hours until the vehicles were removed and SC Hwy Patrol completed their investigation. The driver of the Focus did not survive his injuries and passed away at Trident Hospital shortly after arrival.

Engine 23, Engine 26, Rescue 1, Medic 7, Medic 18, Medic 26, Brush 15, Battalion 1, Car 105, Car 112, Car 114, Car 118 and Car 119 responded. Battalion Chief Brent Dalton served as Incident Commander. Deputy Chief David Greene served as LZ Coordinator.