Woman Flips Car, Air Lifted From I-93 Crash

Firefighters worked for about an hour Saturday afternoon on I-93 North in Wilmington where a woman flipped her car and came to a stop with the vehicle on its roof.

According to Deputy Fire Chief John Brown, calls came in at 4:16 p.m. on Saturday for a report of a single-vehicle crash near Exit 41. Upon arrival, firefighters found the car on its roof with the driver severely trapped inside.

It took between 10 and 15 minutes to remove the driver, who was stuck in an area about half the size of what the compartment normally would be.

Firefighters called for a Medflight helicopter, but it was unavailable at the time. Instead, a helicopter arrived on scene from Manchester, N.H., landing in a parking lot on Ballardvale Street.

A Wilmington ambulance transported the woman to the helicopter and she was flown to a Boston hospital. Though the driver suffered injuries in the crash, Brown said they were not life threatening.

“The most complicated part was that it was a matter of figuring out how to get her out of the vehicle,” said Brown. “The crews put together a plan, were able to expand the driver’s compartment, cut some metal away and get her out.”

Brown said the driver was alert and able to talk to them during the extrication process. The Deputy Chief praised the work of police, who kept the area clear and made for a quick transfer to the helicopter.

Though Brown said it was a difficult rescue, he added that firefighters were prepared for the tight space they were forced to work in.

“It was very complicated, but it went like clockwork,” said Brown. “The crews did a great job and knew what they were doing, and we’re very satisfied with how it turned out.”