Triple Fatal Accident on Bensville Road

Dispatch time July 24, 2005 0011 hrs to 6755 Bensville Road:

Initially Dispatched as a Personal Injury Accident, Upgraded to a Priority 1 response with RE-113 added to the assignment.

Duty Chief 12 (Fire Captain 12) arrived on the scene with Charles County EMS Chief and advised a PI subjects trapped with 2 trapped and 2 ejected and 1 decapitation. Duty Chief 12 requested 3 additional ambulances and 2 additional Medic Units. Upon closer inspection of the vehicle there were 2 priority 4 and a priority 1 patient trapped in the vehicle. The 2 priority 1 ejected victims were immediately packaged and transported to a waiting Maryland State Police Medevac helicopter. Rescue Engine 121 began attempts to extricate the remaining priority 1 patient trapped in the vehicle assisted by Rescue Engine 113, upon their arrival. Given the difficulty and complication of the extrication, Rescue Squad 3 and Rescue unit 8 were added to the assignment.

The vehicle apparently failed to negotiate a sharp right turn and skidded off of the road on the left hand side. The vehicle rode along a steep embankment and began to roll onto its roof when it stuck a tree in the front windshield of the car. The vehicle came to rest on its side with the roof ripped from the vehicle and the tree and deformed vehicle trapping 3 occupants by their legs. The extrication was further complicated due to the fact that the lowest part of the vehicle was approximately waist height to the rescuers. The decision was made to breech the passenger compartment through the under-carriage to gain better access to the patients legs and feet. This action, coupled with strategic cuts made to the passenger side doors and B-post freed the patient from the vehicle after a nearly 90 minute extrication. This patient was alert and oriented during the entire extrication and was coherent enough to thank EMS providers as he was loaded onto the waiting med-evac helicopter. The extricated patient succumbed to his injuries soon after arrival at the hospital. Rescue Engine 121 remained on the scene until the MSP accident reconstruction team completed it's investigation and completed the extrication of the remaining victims with the assistance of Rescue Squad 3.

Responding Units: RE-121. RE-113, RS-3, RU-8, A-129, A-128, A-118, A-8, A-519, A-249, A-479, Medic 1, Medic 2, Paramedic Ambulance 167, Trooper 6 & 7, Command Unit 12, Charles County EMS Chief, Chief 3, Chief 3A

CCSO, MSP, State Highway Administration, MSP Chaplain