At 05:30 Shrewsbury Volunteers were alerted for a reported tractor trailer accident with fire on Northbound 83 at Exit 4. Engine 61-1 and 61-2 responded. Enroute York County 911 advised it is now an accident with injuries and fire. Chief 61 (Myers) requested Rescue 59 to assist. On arrival Shrewsbury Volunteers encountered an overturned tractor trailer partially on a jersey wall with a well involved cab. The front of the trailer was split and contents inside were burning. Crews discovered the fire was traveling down the highway due to spilling diesel fuel from the damaged truck. There was one passenger vehicle fully involved approximately 200 feet from the truck on fire.
Crews immediately deployed hoselines and extended hoses past the fire to get to the running fuel fire. Fire had to be stopped before it reached traffic stopped on the interstate. The traffic had no where to go and would catch fire if the fuel fire was not stopped. Chief 61 established Command 61 and requested several additional fire engines and tankers to combat the fire. Crews from Glen Rock, Eureka, Maryland Line, Winterstown, Loganville and Dallastown assisted in the fire attack and haz mat confinement. Fire police units from Shrewsbury, Glen Rock, New Freedom, Eureka, Loganville, Dallastown, York Twp, Jacobus, Winterstown and Fawn Grove worked on keeping traffic moving. All traffic was divereted off of I83 both lanes and sent up the Susquehanna Trail.
Support units from York County Hazardous Materials, York County Mobile Command Post, Pa State Police, PennDOT, and Gordon’s Towing were on the scene to take care of the wreckage, hazardous materials clean up and other issues involved in removing the destroyed vehicles.
One patient was taken to York Hospital in stable condition. Several patients were evaluated on location and refused transport. Interstate 83 at the time of this article is closed Northbound in Maryland at the state line. Interstate 83 Southbound, which was closed, is now open and flowing.
Shrewsbury Volunteers wishes to thank all mutual aid departments and agencies involved in this incident. Pa State Police will the contact any the accident investigation and patient conditions.
