Tractor-Trailer Crashes Into Stone Wall In Derby, Driver Extricated: FD

DERBY, CT — Crews rescued a driver trapped inside a tractor-trailer after the vehicle crashed into a stone wall in Derby early Monday morning, according to police and Derby and Shelton fire officials.

In a Facebook post around 6 a.m., the Derby Fire Department said Route 34 in the area of St. Michael's Church was closed due to a tractor-trailer hitting a stone wall in front of the building.

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The road has since reopened as of 9:30 a.m., according to the Derby Police Department.

In a Facebook post, the Shelton Fire Department said the city's Echo Hose Hook & Ladder Co. 1 was requested around 4:45 a.m. to respond to a mutual aid in Derby for a motor vehicle accident with extrication.

When crews arrived in the area, they found Derby fire crews working on a tractor-trailer that had crashed into a stone wall, leaving the driver "heavily entrapped within the cab," according to Shelton fire officials.

Firefighters assisted with stabilizing the tractor-trailer while crews from Derby and Ansonia worked to successfully extricate the driver from the cab, according to fire officials.

Shelton, Derby and Ansonia crews operated under a unified command throughout the incident, coordinating stabilization, extrication and overall scene operations, fire officials said.

In a Facebook post around 7 a.m., the Derby Police Department said Route 34 westbound was shut down between Eastbound Main Street/Route 8 and Gilbert Street due to the tractor-trailer crash.

In an updated post around 9:30 a.m., police said Route 34 was back open and thanked drivers in the area for their patience.

In a news release posted to Facebook, the Storm Engine Company in Derby said the extrication operation was "extensive and technically challenging" and required "approximately 45 minutes of coordinated rescue work, utilizing specialized hydraulic rescue equipment and techniques to safely free the driver from the heavily damaged vehicle."

The driver was taken to Yale New Haven Hospital for further treatment, according to the Storm Engine Company.

In addition to Derby police and the Derby, Shelton and Ansonia fire departments, Valley Emergency Medical Services and Ansonia Rescue and Medical Services provided assistance, according to the Storm Engine Company.