Home»MARYLAND FIRE DEPT. INCIDENTS»HOWARD Co. Fire Dept.»MVA N/B Rt. 29 N of Rt. 100 10-2-14

On October 2, 2014 at approximately 8:30AM a dump truck loaded with dirt and rocks, was traveling northbound on Route 29 just north of the exit to eastbound Rt. 100 when a tire blew out causing the driver to lose control of his truck. The truck veered off to the left shoulder, crashed through a guard rail and jersey wall, flipped over on its side before it finally came to rest into an overhead sign pillar trapping the driver inside.
Howard County Fire Alarm was alerted and dispatched a rescue assignment to the scene. When units arrived they found the truck on its side on top of the jersey wall and crushed into the sign post. The driver was severely trapped inside and alive. The Special Operations Team was also dispatched. The long extrication process would begin.
Tower 2 positioned their bucket above the cab as fire and rescue personnel used ladders to get atop the cab to gain access to the driver. Crews used cutters and rams to begin pulling apart the cab and firewall from around the pinned driver.
Maryland State and Howard County Police closed down both north and southbound lanes of Route 29 as crews arrived and worked on the truck.
Maryland State Police Trooper 1 was requested and when it arrived on the scene, landed in the northbound lanes. Due to the extended extrication time Command requested the Maryland Shock Trauma Go-Team. Trooper 6 was requested to University Hospital to pick them up and flew on to the scene landing in the southbound lanes around 9:20. Several tow trucks were also called to the scene and secured the overturned truck from both sides with chains and cables.
Rescue crews continued to cut into the truck for the next hour and a half. Medical personnel and the Go-Team doctors were up on the truck with the patient monitoring his vitals and giving him IV fluids as crews worked feverishly to free him.
At around 11:00 the 29 year old driver was finally freed and lifted out of the cab. He was lowered on to a stretcher and quickly examined by the Shock Trauma doctors before being taken and loaded onto the helicopter. Around 10 minutes later Trooper 1 lifted off and headed for the Maryland Shock Trauma Center where he was later listed in serious but stable condition.
Both lanes of Rt. 29 remained closed while the cleanup and investigation continued. By 1:30 one northbound and two southbound lanes were opened up allowing traffic to finally move again.
It took about 40 rescue workers from 4 stations using 12 pieces of apparatus over two hours to free the victim from the wreckage.