CUMRU TOWNSHIP, Pa. – First responders are releasing more information about a vehicle that went over a bridge and down an embankment before catching fire.
“I’ve seen a lot of things over the years, but this was pretty impressive,” said Cumru Township Fire Chief James Beane.
911 calls began pouring in late Friday as first responders headed to a crash on 422 near what they call the “painted rock bridge.” Witnesses reported a car that had gone over the side of the highway.
“More reports said that the vehicle went over the bridge, down onto an embankment about 200 feet below and actually caught on fire,” said Lt. Michael Bezner with Cumru Township Police Department.
“There was a large green PennDOT sign that’s set to Rt.10 and Alvernia University,” said Bezner. “He actually contacted that and went up in the air and over the bridge so it’s very unusual, but that is how it happened.”
First responders say they couldn’t easily access the location.
“Two brave officers ran down the embankment and encountered one male driver who had crawled out of this fiery crash. He was about fifty feet away. He was still alive [but] he was significantly injured,” said Bezner.
“There were some challenges with extrication due to where the patient was,” Beane said. “Multiple resources were called in because you have the river, you have water, you have steep terrain, it’s dark plus everything else that’s going on.”
Fire crews pulled the 38-year-old man who was in the car up using a ladder truck.
“I think one of the biggest challenges from what I heard radio-wise was getting traffic stopped and shut down at 176 and 422 and then the backlog of vehicles and getting emergency personnel to where they needed to be,” said Beane.
The crash is still under investigation. Police say they are thankful for all the first responders and are grateful no one else was hurt.