Story and photos by Bruce Garner
Chattanooga (TN) firefighters were dispatched to an accident around 10:00 Tuesday morning at the intersection of Amnicola Highway and Creekside. The first firefighters on the scene found a pickup truck wedged underneath an 18-wheeler. The driver, an adult male, was still trapped inside the pickup truck. Firefighters with four fire companies arrived on the scene, pulled some hoselines, and got out their extrication equipment.
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The first firefighters on the scene said a small fire erupted in the engine compartment, but it was extinguished quickly. With gasoline dripping from the truck however, the threat of another fire remained, so firefighters with hoselines stood at the ready while other firefighters used their extrication equipment to get the victim out of the truck. After cutting and prying the vehicle apart for about 30 minutes, the driver was pulled from the truck. He was placed on a backboard, immobilized and handed off to Hamilton County EMS, which then rushed the victim to Erlanger Medical Center. The driver appeared to be conscious and alert, but details on his condition were not available.
Chattanooga police blocked off Amnicola Highway completely to protect the first responders on the scene. A battalion chief on the scene said they hope to have Amnicola back open around noon. Traffic investigators with the Chattanooga Police Department are investigating the cause of the wreck.
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