By Olivia Drake, HVFC Public Information Officer.
At 1:10 p.m. March 30, 2020, Haddam Volunteer Fire Company and Chester Hose Company responded to a motor vehicle accident on Route 9 South between exits 7 and 8. A tractor trailer struck two State Department of Transportation (DOT) vehicles, which were parked in the left lane of traffic. The DOT had previously closed the left lane where the trucks were parked.
Upon arrival, fire officers encountered two injured individuals and the operator of the tractor trailer was still in the vehicle. Chester firefighters helped the driver self-extricate.
Haddam, Deep River and Chester ambulances transported 3 patients to Middlesex Hospital.
During the incident, both the travel and passing lane were closed, and traffic was rerouted to the highway’s shoulder as operations allowed.
The tractor trailer was leaking oil and fuel into the water drainage ditch and firefighters applied absorbent material to capture the hazardous materials. The Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) was requested to the scene. An environmental company was called to offload the fuel from the truck and clean the area.
The scene was turned over to Connecticut State Police, DEEP, and DOT once the fuel and hazmat was contained and the impacted vehicles were secured.
Photos courtesy of Haddam Volunteer Fire Company.
