Fire crews and their fellow emergency responders had an eventful day Thursday, rescuing two people in two separate car accidents on St. Croix, and battling a rooftop blaze at a building in downtown St. Thomas.
In the first incident, a car accident reported at 11:26 a.m. Thursday on Northshore Road on St. Croix, first responders from the V.I. Police Department, Emergency Medical Services, and St. Croix Rescue found a motorist pinned between their vehicle’s steering wheel and floorboard after striking a utility pole, according to a press release from the V.I. Fire Service.
Using specialized tools, firefighters and St. Croix Rescue members extricated the motorist from the vehicle. Once freed, the driver was transferred to a stretcher and treated by EMS personnel, who then transported the patient to Juan F. Luis Hospital, the release stated.
At approximately 5:34 p.m., fire personnel were dispatched to a second motor vehicle accident on West Scenic Road on St. Croix, where an SUV veered off into a ravine approximately 30 feet from the road. Firefighters and St. Croix Rescue members employed rope rescue techniques to haul the motorist up the sloping terrain to the roadway, according to the release. VIPD officers provided additional assistance. The driver was treated by EMS personnel and transported to Juan F. Luis Hospital.
Later in the day, at approximately 7:20 p.m., firefighters on St. Thomas were dispatched to a rooftop fire at a building under construction at 4B Norre Gade. Four units and 14 personnel from three of the island’s four fire stations responded and extinguished the blaze within 30 minutes, according to the release. The fire remains under investigation by the Arson Investigation and Prevention Unit.
“It was an eventful day, and I am extremely proud of our personnel’s performance,” said VIFS Director Daryl George. “On St. Thomas, firefighters worked well together to quickly extinguish a structure fire and prevent additional damage to the building and others around it. In St. Croix, firefighters successfully executed rescue techniques taught in recent trainings and worked well with other first responders,” he said.
“To the men and women of the Fire Service, I say thank you and job well done. I also extend special thanks to our emergency response partners from St. Croix Rescue, EMS, and VIPD,” said George.
