Halfway Responds To Heavy Entrapment On I70

On the afternoon of December 29th at 13:31 hours, the Volunteer Fire Company of Halfway was alerted for a vehicle accident on West Bound 70 in the area of the 26mm. Washington County Emergency Communications had reports of a two tractor trailers involved with one heavy entrapment. Dispatch immediately started two additional Rescue Squads on the assignment to assist. Engine 261 and Ambulance 269 arrived at Exit 26 to find one tractor trailer hung-up on the guardrail separating the Interstate and the Exit Lane at Exit 26 and a White Box truck over the embankment.

Off-Duty FAO Vazquez was already on the scene and checked the scene confirming one entrapment in the Box Truck. Assistant Chief King arrived and established I70 Command and assigned Williamsport Rescue Engine 2 as Rescue Group Supervisor. Rescue crews had one occupant heavily entrapped by his legs. Rescue Group evaluated the situation and at their suggestion, the Go Team out of Shock Trauma was started to the scene. Firefighters from Halfway, Williamsport, Funkstown, and Sharpsburg worked as a team for nearly 45 minutes to successfully extricate the patient from the wreckage.

Once freed from the vehicle at 14:23 hours and extracted up the embankment, Williamsport Paramedic 29 and Washington County EMS1811 were able to fully evaluate the patient classifying them as a Priority 2 Category C Trauma. All incoming Aviation and Go Team units were canceled on the call and the patient was able to be transported by ground to Meritus Medical Center in Hagerstown. A majority units were able to clear once rescue operations were complete. Halfway Engine 261, Rescue Squad 10, and Hazmat 20 remained on the scene for an additional hour assisting State Highways and Towing Crews.

Companies assisting on the incident scene consisted of Williamsport Fire & EMS (Co.2), Funkstown Volunteer Fire Company (Co.10), Sharpsburg Volunteer Fire Company (Rescue Squad 2001), Washington County Special Operations (Hazmat 20), Washington County Volunteer Fire Rescue Association Safety 101, Washington County Division of Emergency Services Command Staff, Traffic Control Assistance by Maryland State Highways C.H.A.R.T. crews, Leitersburg Fire Company Rescue Engine 91, and Washington County Fire Police.

A special thanks to Maryland State Police Aviation Command, MIEMS Go Team, and Washington County Support Services Rehab who were dispatched out to the call but were canceled before arrival. Our crew’s hard work on the scene were able to succeed in freeing the occupant before those units’ arrival canceling the need for their services. The cause of the accident is being investigated by the Maryland State Police. The exit for West Bound 70 remained closed for several hours but was reopened that evening by 17:00 hours.