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CHATTANOOGA, Tenn - Tuesday, June 10,2008 - 8:30 am - City Of Chattanooga
Firefighters and medics with Hamilton County EMS were dispatched to a head
on collision on Highway 153 in front of the Walmart. When the first unit
arrived on the scene, they reported heavy entrapment in both vehicles as
well as both drivers having extremely critical injuries. Several additional
fire and EMS units were quickly dispatched to the scene on the crash.
Within minutes, three City of Chattanooga rescue units arrived on the scene
and started two simultaneous extrication operations on both vehicles. One of
the vehicles was a utility van and the other was a Chevy Impala. Crews had
to cut the top out of the van before they could start extricating the man
from that vehicle. Meanwhile, other firefighters started working to
extricated the other man from the wreckage of the Impala.
While crews were working to free the two drivers, EMS personnel with
Hamilton County EMS, Started doing what they could to treat the patients
inside the vehicles. The driver of the Impala had extremely severe injuries
and crews were having to perform rescue breathing while crews were
extricating. Both of the drivers were freed in short order. The driver of
the van was loaded in an ambulance and rushed to Erlanger Medical Center.
The driver of the Impala was also loaded into a Hamilton County ambulance.
However crews were said to have been working trauma CPR on him.
Unfortunately, the driver of the Impala was pronounced dead at Erlanger
Hospital.
One other pickup truck was also involved in the crash, but the driver was
not injured and the damage to it was minor. The cause of the crash is under
investigation by the City of Chattanooga Police Departments Traffic
Division. Highway 153 traffic had to be rerouted for several hours while
crews worked the scene.
Story and photos by Bill Carson |
