3 Hurt, One Seriously, As Minivan Hits Ambulance, Catches Fire On Route 70

Three people were injured Tuesday morning when a minivan caused a chain-reaction crash by hitting an ambulance that was stopped at a traffic light on Route 70, and then burst into flames, Manchester police said.

Lee W. Smith, 60, of Brick, was taken to Jersey Shore University Medical Center, Neptune, complaining of chest pain, Manchester Capt. Todd Malland said. Smith’s condition was not known, he said.

Steven Purtell, 20, of Forked River, and Hlif Gabrish, 32, of Waretown, were transported to Community Medical Center in Toms River for complaints of neck and back pain, Malland said.

The three were injured in the crash that happened about 9:10 a.m., Malland said, when the 2004 Toyota minivan, driven west on Route 70 by Smith, hit the rear of a 2006 Ford E Series ambulance owned by Quality Medical Transport of Bayville. The force of the impact pushed the ambulance -- which was not transporting a patient at the time but was occupied by Purtell and Gabrish -- into the back of a 1997 Ford Ranger pickup, Malland said. Both the ambulance and the pickup truck were stopped for a red light at Colonial Drive, he said.

After the impact, the minivan burst into flames, and when police arrived it was burning uncontrollably from the engine compartment while sitting in the westbound lane of Route 70, Malland said.

The responding police officers tried to extinguish the fire but they were not successful. It was ultimately extinguished by the Manchester Township Volunteer Fire Company, he said.

Smith was transported by the Manchester Township Volunteer First Aid Squad.

The driver of the Ford Ranger, Jose Chacon, 37, of Lakewood, was not injured in the crash.

Route 70 was closed for about an hour after the incident while the investigation and clean-up was taking place. This crash is being investigated by Patrolman Douglas Higgins of the Manchester Township Police Department’s Traffic Safety Section.