Two injured seriously in crash on Route 9W

ESOPUS, N.Y. >> Two people were hospitalized with serious injuries after a twocar head-on crash on U.S. Route 9W on Sunday morning, according to authorities.

The Esopus Fire Department said in a press release that firefighters and the town of Esopus Volunteer Ambulance Squad were called to a report of a two-car crash near 617 U.S. Route 9W at 4:40 a.m. Upon arrival, they found that two cars had collided head-on and both drivers were entrapped and had serious injuries, the release added.

Firefighters said two medevac helicopters were dispatched to a nearby landing zone and it took approximately 40 minutes using a Jaws of Life tool to free the victims, who were not identified.

The injured were then taken by ambulance to a landing zone, where they were transferred to the helicopters and were flown to Westchester Medical Center in Valhalla, according to the release.

U.S. Route 9W was closed for three hours Sunday morning in the vicinity of the crash.

Port Ewen Fire Department personnel at the scene of Sunday morning’s head-on crash on U.S. Route 9W in Esopus, N.Y.

PHOTOS BY JOHN BECHTOLD State police examine one of two vehicles involved in a crash on U.S. Route 9W in Esopus, N.Y., on Sunday morning