Post by BCDISP on Jul 9, 2008 7:48:54 GMT -5
For those that haven't heard our neighboring county to our north had Tanker rollover with a firefighter fatality last night.
Our thoughts and prayers are needed to be with the West Hill FD and fellow firefighters from the neighboring districts that run mutual aid calls with West Hill.
Here is a copy of the press release from the Elmira Star Gazette.
BIG FLATS -- A West Hill firefighter was killed Tuesday evening when a water tanker truck he was driving crashed on West Hill Road A, less than two miles from the firehouse on West Hill Road.
The Chemung County Sheriff's Office on Tuesday night said the driver of the tanker truck was killed shortly after 6 p.m. when the truck he was driving went off West Hill Road A and crashed into trees beside the road.
The identity of the driver was not released Tuesday night pending notification of next of kin. Fire department officials confirmed that the driver was a firefighter.
Sheriff's Investigator Nick DeMuth, who was leading the investigation, confirmed Tuesday that the accident was a fatality, but said he couldn't release any details until after an accident reconstruction at the scene. DeMuth remained at the scene of the crash late Tuesday night.
A West Hill Road A resident who lives just above the downhill left-hand curve where the accident occurred said he heard the truck hit the trees.
Fred Buck, of 226 West Hill Road A, a former West Hill firefighter himself, said he first heard the truck go up the hill and recognized it as the tanker although he couldn't see it from his living room chair. A few minutes later, he heard the truck coming down the hill at a much higher speed.
"I heard a tremendous crash when the tanker hit the trees," Buck said.
After the crash, the tanker part of the yellow truck was broken loose and in the middle West Hill Road A downhill from the cab, which was mangled in the crash. There was also a tree across the road after the crash.
The crash occurred about one mile north of Vanderhoff Road on West Hill Road A.
Part of West Hill Road A was blocked off to traffic for hours Tuesday night as emergency workers cleaned up the scene and investigators reconstructed the crash.
Sheriff Christopher Moss said the road would probably be open late Tuesday night when the investigators suspended their investigation until this morning.
The driver was transported by Erway Ambulance to Arnot Ogden Medical Center in Elmira
Our thoughts and prayers are needed to be with the West Hill FD and fellow firefighters from the neighboring districts that run mutual aid calls with West Hill.
Here is a copy of the press release from the Elmira Star Gazette.
BIG FLATS -- A West Hill firefighter was killed Tuesday evening when a water tanker truck he was driving crashed on West Hill Road A, less than two miles from the firehouse on West Hill Road.
The Chemung County Sheriff's Office on Tuesday night said the driver of the tanker truck was killed shortly after 6 p.m. when the truck he was driving went off West Hill Road A and crashed into trees beside the road.
The identity of the driver was not released Tuesday night pending notification of next of kin. Fire department officials confirmed that the driver was a firefighter.
Sheriff's Investigator Nick DeMuth, who was leading the investigation, confirmed Tuesday that the accident was a fatality, but said he couldn't release any details until after an accident reconstruction at the scene. DeMuth remained at the scene of the crash late Tuesday night.
A West Hill Road A resident who lives just above the downhill left-hand curve where the accident occurred said he heard the truck hit the trees.
Fred Buck, of 226 West Hill Road A, a former West Hill firefighter himself, said he first heard the truck go up the hill and recognized it as the tanker although he couldn't see it from his living room chair. A few minutes later, he heard the truck coming down the hill at a much higher speed.
"I heard a tremendous crash when the tanker hit the trees," Buck said.
After the crash, the tanker part of the yellow truck was broken loose and in the middle West Hill Road A downhill from the cab, which was mangled in the crash. There was also a tree across the road after the crash.
The crash occurred about one mile north of Vanderhoff Road on West Hill Road A.
Part of West Hill Road A was blocked off to traffic for hours Tuesday night as emergency workers cleaned up the scene and investigators reconstructed the crash.
Sheriff Christopher Moss said the road would probably be open late Tuesday night when the investigators suspended their investigation until this morning.
The driver was transported by Erway Ambulance to Arnot Ogden Medical Center in Elmira