MEDIA CONTACT: Mark E. Brady, Chief Spokesperson, 240-508-7930
A freak and near tragic incident seriously injured the driver of a car and recent wet weather may have been a contributing factor.
Just after 9:00 am, Thursday, May 19, 2011, a vehicle operated by an adult male was travelling in the 4200 block of Sellman Road in Beltsville. A tree uprooted from the wet and soft ground and fell simultaneously as the car was passing by. The tree fell into the path of and onto the front end of the moving vehicle causing significant damage and pinned the driver in his vehicle.
Firefighters and medics from Beltsville arrived quickly and started to stabilize the tree, vehicle and tend to the patient. The heavy duty rescue squad from Berywn Heights arrived and used their hydraulic tools to extricate the patient from his vehicle. A tree crew from the Department of Public Works and Transportation (DPW&T) arrived quickly after being requested by public safety personnel. The DPW&T crew cut the fallen tree off of the vehicle and then cut down another tree that was about to fall as well. It appears that recent wet weather may have softened the ground enough that allowed these large trees to become uprooted and fall.
Paramedics from College Park packaged, stabilized and treated the 40ish year old male patient for potentially serious, non-life threatening, injuries and have transported him to a Trauma Center. The Prince George's County Police Department is investigating the incident.
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| Damage to the front end of the vehicle can be seen after the tree was removed. (PGFD PHOTO) |
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