05/23/13 | 03:28 | FATAL 2ND ALARM | ALLENTOWN | BOX 4435 | 2427 S. 4TH STREET | FIRE ON TOP FLOOR AND THROUGH ROOF OF APARTMENT BUILDING | TOWER LADDER IN OPERATION | MULTIPLE LINES STRETCHED | PERSON FOUND DEAD MAY NOT BE A FIRE VICTIM | 1 FIREFIGHTER INJURED AND TRANSPORTED TO HOSP VIA EMS
North Whitehall, Pa. - The time was 10:30 PM when a call went out for Lehigh County Stations 12 (Laurys Station) and EMS 67 for a wreck with injuries on Rt. 145 near Neffs Laurys Road. Moments later, fire dispatchers transmitted a full rescue box for the same address sending Rescue 22 (Schnecksville), Rescue 47 (Lehigh Twp.) and 16 (Neffs) for a full response.
A fire officer on the scene radioed comm center and reported 1 male heavily pinned and at least 6 patients. All rescue companies went in-service with tools including cutters and spreaders to cut the man out of his red car.
The man, Ronald Toribio, of Whitehall was southbound when he crossed the yellow line and struck a car going northbound. That car had two females in it and they were transported to the hospital with minor injuries.
PennStar (medical helicopter) was dispatched but when they were airborne, they aborted the flight because of fog.
It took over 30 minutes to free the man from the mangled car. He was rushed to a local trauma center by ambulance and succumbed to his injuries a few hours later. A total of 3 victims were involved in the accident, not 6 as stated in the beginning phases of this incident.
Pennsylvania State Police are investigating.
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Northampton, Pa. - At 22:23 hours Northampton Borough Fire 42, EMS 49, North Catasauqua Fire 43 and Police respond to a report of an accident with entrapment in the 400 block of East 4th Street.
Fire officials arrive and report a car on its roof with a male trapped inside. Northampton Ladder 42 arrives and puts numerous tools in-service, including spreaders and cutters. North Catasauqua Firefighters assisted at the scene.
Crews cut two doors off the car in order to free the man. He was taken to St. Lukes Hospital by Northampton Regional EMS.
The car struck two parked vehicles before coming to a rest on its roof.
Allentown, Pa. - Friday morning, Allentown Animal Control Officer was involved in an accident at 6th and Walnut Streets. Engines 4, 9, Truck 2 and Battalion 43 (Wehr) responded along with EMS and Police.
Police arrived and confirmed the driver was pinned. Rescue workers put their tools in-service and cut the roof off the truck to get the officer out. They worked about 30 minutes to free him.
EMS transported him to a local hospital. Photos and video by Correspondent Mike Nester.
Catasauqua, Pa - Catasauqua Police were dispatched to a report of a car crash with unknown injuries on Race Street at Railroad Street around 5:40 AM Saturday morning. On arrival, they found a car into a utility pole with 4 occupants inside and trapped. They requested the Fire Department and EMS to the scene immediately.
Catasauqua Rescue 2 and EMS 75 were dispatched. Cetronia EMS 62 and a Whitehall Rescue company was requested by command. The impact was so severe that the utility pole ended up in the driver's seat. The force of that impact was fatal to the driver, who remained pinned until the tow truck removed the car from the pole.
Another passenger also suffered fatal injuries from the force of the impact. Two other passengers were transported to area hospital's with unknown injuries.
Police say the people killed in the crash are were both 18 and a male and female. Police have identified the occupants of the vehicle: Thomas Bono, 18, of Bath Avenue in Catasauqua and a passenger, Jaenis Delos Santos, 18 also of Bath Avenue were killed in the crash. Two passengers, Aaron Machado, 21, of 22nd Street in Allentown and Paige Esterly, 17, also of Allentown were taken to St. Luke's Bethlehem for treatment of injuries.
With 50+ feet of skid marks prior to impact, speed appeared to play a factor in the accident. Numerous liquor bottles were strewn about the roadway, some empty, some with liquor left in them. Toxicology tests will be done to see if Alcohol played a role in this accident.
Washington Township, Pa. - Around 7:00 PM, Fire and EMS were sent to I-476 Northbound near mile marker 68.4 between Friedens Road and Main Street for a report of a crash with car fire, a female pinned in one car and explosions. The 9-1-1 Center was receiving multiple phone calls about the accident.
Rescue 2941 (Walnutport) transmitted a working car fire upon arriving. Command reported 4 vehicles involved and confirmed one dead at the scene and requested the Coroner to respond.
Both lanes of the Turnpike were closed while the accident scene was cleaned up and investigated. Traffic was at a standstill for miles. The accident is located south of the tunnel.
Whitehall, Pa. - 5:24 PM, Whitehall Rescue 8 (3641), Rescue 5 (4041), Engine 13 (3811) and Car 16 (Benner, 3501) were sent to Rt. 145 and Center Street for a two vehicle accident with entrapment. 1 female reported pinned in the car.
A van hit a car on the passenger side in the intersection and pushed it into a traffic light pole leaving the driver side resting against the pole. Rescue companies removed the roof of the car to free a female pinned in the driver seat. The car had heavy intrusion on the passenger side.
The female was transported to the hospital by EMS 62. Her condition is unknown.
Gilberton, Pa. - A 58 year-old woman from Ashland crashed her car into a vacant home at 412 Main Street around 3:15 PM Saturday. Our Coal Region Correspondent Stephen Barrett was on the scene and wrote the following about the rescue:
Gilberton Fire Department, Mahanoy City West End Rescue, Frackville Ambulance, and Shenandoah ALS were dispatched to 412 Main Street Gilberton for an accident with entrapment.
The caller reported that a passenger vehicle ran into an abandon home and the driver was trapped. Engine 44-15 and Frackville Ambulance arrived to find the vehicle into the home and the female driver heavily entrapped.
EMS personnel entered the vehicle to stabilize the driver for the rescue operation. West End Rescue 993 stabilized the vehicle first and called for additional resources to assist with the technical rescue. Frackville Engine-Rescue responded and worked on stabilizing the collapsing vacant home.
Pottsville Yorkville Rescue 63 responded with its collapse unit and stood by on scene. Altamont Fire Company RIT responded and stood by for any secondary collapses. Life Flight flew to Girardville and then sent its crew to the crash scene.
Rescuers removed the vehicles roof and then the trapped driver from the car and building. The rescue took over 45 minutes to preform and move the patient to the ambulance. Unfortunately, the driver succumbed to her injuries on the scene.
Pottsville, Pa . - On Saturday November 17th at 11:10 hours the Pottsville City Fire Department and the Pottsville-Schuylkill Haven EMS were dispatched to an apartment fire with entrapment.
The caller reported there was a smoke coming from the second floor of their residence and they were trapped on the third floor. The Pottsville City Police arrived on location and reported they had a smoke showing form a double home. A Pottsville Fire Chief arrived to find working kitchen fire with two individuals hanging out the third story windows. The residents jumped to the ground to escape the choking smoke and were injured.
Pottsville EMS immediately requested additional EMS units and started to treat the injured. The assistant fire chief then had the Schuylkill Haven RIT Team added to the incident to respond. Humane Engine 32 first arriving Engine Company and staged on the ALPHA Side of the structure. Ladder 51 parked behind Engine 32 and was ordered to throw ground ladders to the third floor.
Engine 32 fire fighters deployed a hose line to the front entrance of the home. A second hose line was advanced to the rear of the home to the rear entrance. The fire was quickly knocked down with minor exterior extension to the second floor.
Good Will Engine 41 established a water supply from a hydrant a block away and supplied Engine 32. Engine 41 deployed a hose line into the next door exposure home to stop any extension. Yorkville Engine 62 established a water supply from a hydrant on Market Street and laid into the scene. Good Intent Engine 11 parked to the rear of the home on the BRAVO-CHARLIE Corner. Engine 11 fire fighters deployed a hose line to the rear of the home to extinguish the burning exterior wall. Phoenix Ladder 21 staged in in the rear of the home and sent its crew to do ventilation. The rest of the department staged in the area and sent their crews to building to assist with overhaul.
The fire was extinguished in 15 minutes and under control in less of 45 minutes.
Schuylkill Haven RIT Team stood by at the ALPHA-BRAVO Corner and was not activated.
The two injured residents were transported to the Pottsville Helipad and flown to a trauma center.
Story, Video and Photographs by our Coal Region Correspondent Stephen Barrett.
Whitehall, Pa. - For the second night in a row Whitehall firefighters went to work. This time, Friday morning at 2:26 AM Whitehall stations 1 (L.C. 36) and Rescue 5 (L.C. 4041) were dispatched to Route 22 Westbound in the area of 5th and 6th Street for an auto extrication with possible fire.
Engine 1 (squad) was first-due and arrived to a multi-vehicle accident with multiple pins. There was no fire so they went in-service with their tools. Rescue 5 arrives and puts their tools in-service. Rescue 8 (L.C. 3641) supplies manpower. There's 4 cars involved, one on its roof and 3 people pinned. With the heavy entrapment, command special-calls South Whitehall Rescue 11 (Greenawalds).
A total of 2 people were extricated and transported to the hospital in critical condition and one person was declared deceased at the scene. The victim was 24 year old William H. Wilson of Stewartsville, New Jersey. His death has been ruled an accident by Lehigh County Coroner Scott Grim.
The highway remained closed until 8:30 AM while the police investigated.
Video was uploaded to YouTube via Mike Nester. Photograph is a screen capture.
Hanover Twp., Pa. - Just before 3:00 AM, traffic slowed on Rt. 22 westbound for an accident near Dauphin Street when a SUV slammed into the back of a Morning Call Newspaper truck in the area of the T-Mobile call center. The driver was killed after becoming trapped under the truck.
The SUV had heavy intrusion to the front passenger side of the vehicle. State Troopers called in the accident. Han-Le-Co statioin 33 and EMS 75 were dispatched to the second accident.
Rt. 22 was closed westbound at Airport Road while Troopers investigated the fatal accident.
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