Fairfield Firefighters Extricate Driver From Jackknifed Tractor Trailer

Fairfield firefighters extricated a driver from an 18-wheeler that went down the embankment off I-95 North and jackknifed on Meadow Street early Wednesday morning.

Firefighters used a Stokes basket to transfer the driver to the ambulance and he was taken to St. Vincent’s Hospital.

At 6:43 a.m., the Fairfield Emergency Communications Center received a report of a “large 18-wheeler off the embankment from 95 North” onto Meadow Street behind Fitness Edge; Fairfield Fire Department Company 2 and Car 3 were dispatched and arrived at 6:44 a.m. to find the truck down the embankment and jackknifed on Meadow Street.

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“The driver was trapped in the cab but responsive,” Assistant Chief Schuyler Sherwood, who was Incident Commander, said in a press release. “There were multiple transformers and power lines down alongside Meadow Street due to the accident and rainfall was at its heaviest morning as we arrived.”

Local police arrived concurrently as firefighters began to extricate the driver using a Stokes basket, transferring him to the awaiting AMR ambulance for transport to St. Vincent’s Hospital.

Fairfield Conservation and Public Works along with Connecticut State Police and representatives from the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection and United Illuminating were called to the scene to assist in containment of the spill and control of the power lines, the hazards of which were potentially exacerbated by the heavy rainfall, according to Sherwood.

After the driver was en route to the hospital and hazards had been controlled, Bud’s Truck & Diesel Service had several heavy wreckers on the scene removing the cab and then securing the trailer for removal from the scene.

Engine 2 was the last unit to clear at 10:03 a.m. after turning the scene over for investigation by the State Police.

Photos courtesy of the Fairfield Fire Department