PA Asst. Fire Chief Serious after Crash

[markmets415 524]

PA FIRE CHIEF SERIOUS AFTER RESPONDING CRASH:

Asst. Chief Richard 'Rick' Keiser of the Bannerville Volunteer Fire Company, McClure, Snyder County, PA was seriously injured in a crash responding to a structure fire this morning around 0200. He was on his way to the firehouse to respond in the engine, when his vehicle hit a patch of ice, sending him rolling into a ditch and no one found him until a PENN DOT State truck out cindering, spotted his vehicle and called it in. Rick was laying injured in his vehicle for about 2 hrs. before any help could get to him. The temperature was about 17 degrees. He is list in serious condition in the Geisinger Medical Center in Danville, PA.

posted with permission from the secretlist @ firefighterclosecalls

[ex-commish 490]

Prayers for a speedy recovery.

[markmets415 524]

The vehicle must have been totaled, he was trapped or some other reason for him not to be able to use his radio to summons help.

Here is some additional information regarding the incident he was responding to.

from the Lewistown Sentinel:

MCCLURE - A one-story building once used for cold storage was destroyed by an early morning fire, sending one local man to Lewistown Hospital for treatment, a fire official said Sunday evening.

An area firefighter also was seriously injured during a motor vehicle accident while enroute to combat the blaze, officials said.

McClure Fire Chief Keith Martin said emergency personnel responded to the fire at 19 N. Stuck St. in McClure at about 2:23 a.m.

Martin described the building as a former cold-storage facility with an apartment at one end. That apartment was occupied by a local resident, identified as "Red" Wright, who was home at the time of the blaze, Martin said.

"When we arrived on scene, his neighbors let us know he was in the apartment. One of the firefighters pushed the door open ... we were able to call his name and then he came out," Martin said.

Wright was transported to Lewistown Hospital to receive treatment for smoke inhalation, Martin said. A condition update from the hospital was not available as of press time Sunday night.

Martin described the building as "a total loss," but said firefighters were able to prevent the flames from consuming most of Wright's apartment. He said a lot of Wright's personal property was salvaged as a result.

Firefighters battled the flames for more than an hour before bringing the blaze under control around 4 a.m., and the last unit was released from the scene around 9 a.m., Martin said. McClure Fire Co. was assisted at the scene by units from Bannerville, Beaver Springs, Beavertown, Middleburg, Decatur, East Derry and United fire companies.

Martin also said a member of Bannerville Fire Co., Richard Keiser, was injured in an automobile accident while he was responding to the blaze.

Keiser, 46, of McClure, was traveling north on Old Stage Road at about 2:30 a.m. when his vehicle exited the right side of the roadway, according to a report issued by Pennsylvania State Police Lewistown.

Police said Keiser's vehicle traveled through an electric fence and struck a cement block spring house before coming to rest. Keiser was transported to Geisinger Medical Center in Danville, where he was listed in serious condition Sunday evening.

Police were assisted at the scene of the accident by units from Decatur, East Derry and Yeagertown fire companies, Fame EMS and Mifflin County Fire Police.

Edited November 24, 2008 by markmets415

[markmets415 524]

A few pictures of the fire scene from the Lewistown Sentinel paper.