On Tuesday, October 21st, 2014 Wagontown Fire and Ambulance 144 along with an Engine from Sadsburyville was dispatched at 0656 to the intersection of Route 10 and Route 340 in West Caln Township for an auto accident reported with occupants trapped.

Calls to 911 continued to provide additional information, updating the location to the 3100 block of Compass Road with reports of a dump truck overturned and an occupant of another vehicle trapped with serious injuries.

Wagontown Lieutenant Flinn was the first responder to arrive on the scene and confirmed the initial reports. Ambulance 144 and Fire and Rescue units from Wagontown and Sadsburyville arrived just three minutes later and quickly deployed an assortment of rescue equipment and the hydraulic "Jaws of Life" tools to free the occupant of an SUV involved.

Chief 33 (Messner) was in the area and was assigned Rt. 10 Command by the rescue crew with Lt. Flinn assuming the operations role. With 35 and 31 crews working to remove the trapped occupant, Command called for Rescue 33 to assist, however prior to their arrival the crews had the trapped subject removed from the vehicle. Engine 33-1 was assigned to handle the helicopter landing just north of the scene.

Despite sustaining heavy damage after striking the dump truck nearly head-on, rescue crews were able to free the occupant from the vehicle in just 22 minutes. This was an example of great teamwork working together to handle this situation.

EMS personnel from Westwood along with multiple Medic 93 units began advanced medical care while preparing the patient to be flown to a local trauma center by air medical helicopter. However, due to the patient's condition, immediate care to the closest hospital was required and the patient was transported to Brandywine Hospital by Ambulance 44-1 and the Medevac 3 flight crew.

Unfortunately, following transport, the patient succumbed to injuries sustained in the collision.

Wagontown units cleared the scene just after 13:15 hours.

Our thoughts are with the family affected by this serious accident.