| UPPER MERION , TWP. - The King of Prussia Volunteer Fire Company and Lafayette Ambulance were dispatched at 4:20 a.m. to the Pennsylvania Turnpike Westbound at the Valley Forge Interchange for the automobile crash.
First arriving units discovered an overturned tractor trailer blocking the Westbound off ramp to the Valley Forge Interchange and also the on ramp to the Eastbound lanes. It was quickly determined that the driver was trapped and that the tanker was leaking a significant amount of liquefied sugar.
Assistant Chief Jim Gallagher from King of Prussia requested the Berwyn Fire Company (Rescue 2) and Swedesburg Volunteer Fire Company (Special Service 49) to assist with personnel and rescue tools due to the driver being heavily entangled in the wreckage.
Firefighters stabilized the tanker and cab to ensure it would not move once the extrication effort began. Personnel from King of Prussia and Swedesburg worked in tandem to free the victim from the driver's side of the cab. At the same time, the Berwyn crew utilized the Jaws of Life to access the injured driver from the passenger side that was suspended on the concrete highway divider (see image from 6abc.com below).
The victim was safely removed after being trapped for over an hour. The subject was transported to a nearby landing zone by Lafayette Ambulance and then flown by PENNSTAR to a Philadelphia trauma center in stable condition.
The Pennsylvania State Police are investigating the cause of the automobile crash. The on and off ramps affected by the crash were closed until 10 a.m.
There were no reported firefighter injuries during the incident. Rescue 2 cleared the accident scene just before 7 a.m.
Image courtesy 6abc.com |
