At 10:29 PM on Sunday, October 29th, the Sellersville Fire Department was dispatched to the 2100 block of S. Bethlehem Pike in the area of the PennDOT salt shed for an accident with fire. A passing motorist had reported that a van left the roadway, flipped on its side, and was now on fire. Pennridge Regional Police and Assistant 27 confirmed that the location was the southbound off ramp from the 309 bypass, and the occupant of the vehicle could not immediately be located. Rescue 27 arrived and used an 1-3/4" bumper line for fire suppression. The crew from Utility 27 pulled an additional 1-3/4" hose as a backup line. Squirt 18 from West End Fire Company was added to the assignment for additional water supply.
As the fire was being extinguished, the driver of the van was located approximately 30 yards away from the vehicle. The driver was semi-conscious and suffered severe injuries. Regional Police and EMT's from Squirt 18 provided initial patient care until the arrival of Medic 151. The patient was transported to Grand View Health for additional care. After final extinguishment, the vehicle was removed from the location by Dunne's Towing. All fire apparatus was clear of the scene at 00:52. Fire Police Officers in Traffic 27 controlled traffic by shutting down the exit ramp for the duration of the event.
This incident is under investigation by the Pennsylvania State Police.
