Hauppauge Fire Department Frees Trapped Accident Victims

Emergency crews rushed to the scene of a heavy rescue accident in Hauppauge Saturday when a vanload of disabled passengers collided with another car, fire officials said.

Firefighters from the Hauppauge Fire Department were activated around 4 p.m. on Saturday, sparking a heavy rescue operation at the intersection of Lincoln Blvd and Express Drive South. As crews began to arrive, they quickly called for additional assistance indicating a retone for heavy rescue, a common practice among accident scenes involving heavy equipment.

When fire crews arrived to the scene, they found one person trapped inside in a wheelchair in the van, unresponsive. Second Assistant Chief Eugene Oliver notified the Smithtown Fire Department that a full sized van had collided with a minivan carrying two people. Oliver said the full sized van, which was carrying the disabled passengers, had become lodged on top of the minivan and the two passengers in the minivan were trapped inside, as well.

Oliver deemed the accident scene to be unstable and ordered that the van be stabilized using a method known as cribbing. In the method, wood blocks or bricks are placed under the vehicle to secure the area for a rescue operation. Rescuers can then enter the vehicle and cause movement without possibly further injuring the occupants.

Once securing the scene, Hauppauge crews were able to utilize spreading tools and cutters and worked tirelessly to free two patients from inside the vehicle. The disabled woman was also freed from the scene. The entire rescue operation lasted approximately 48 minutes, sources said.

All the injured victims were transported by Central Islip-Hauppauge Volunteer Ambulance Corps. to local hospitals for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries, authorities said.