2 injured in big rig accident
Tractor-trailer loaded with mulch crashed into SUV on Baltimore Pike
Two people were seriously injured when a tractor-trailer loaded with mulch crashed into a Lexus SUV on Baltimore Pike at W. Pennsbury Way Wednesday afternoon. The driver of the tractor-trailer was trapped in his vehicle and had to be extricated by rescue personnel.
Longwood Fire Company was alerted at 1:37 p.m. for the tractor-trailer accident, according to chief A.J. McCarthy. The call was upgraded for a person trapped as units responded.
The impact pushed the car one block and it came to rest in the middle of Baltimore Pike at Chandler Road. McCarthy said first arriving crews checked on the driver of the SUV and then turned their attention to the truck which had overturned and ended up on a lawn of a house.
McCarthy said the truck driver’s legs were pinned by the dashboard. Crews removed the truck roof and removed him from the vehicle. A second rescue from Concordville was called to standby at the incident.
Longwood paramedics treated both patients and transported them to Crozer Trauma unit. McCarthy said their condition was significant but stable.
With mulch strewn across, much of the road, Baltimore Pike was closed in both directions through much of the afternoon as a front end loader was brought in to clear the debris. The truck was owned by Mayfield Gardens of Newtown Square.
McCarthy said the accident posed a major assist from volunteer fire police crews as the busy state highway was closed in both directions.
McCarthy said crews were also dealing with the leaking fuel tank and hydraulics. The owner of the home where the truck ended up was warned to avoid using their water, which is from a well on the property until it could be tested.
Blitterdorf’s Towing brought in multiple large wreckers to remove the tuck.
Pennsylvania State police were investigating the cause of the accident.