A chain reaction accident led to a fiery incident that left three people dead, two injured and snarled traffic into Metro DC for hours. The incident occurred just after 5am in the northbound lane of Route 301 in Brandywine, just north of Chads Ford Drive. Five vehicles were involved in the fiery crash, three catching fire and trapping their victims before they could be extricated.
Police said the collision of a dump truck, a catering truck and three other vehicles started with a disabled car that stopped in the left hand lane of northbound Route 301. A taxi cab in the northbound lane swerved to miss the disabled car and crossed the median into the southbound lanes, where it was struck by the oncoming dump truck. The dump truck subsequently lost control and veered into the median and onto the northbound lanes striking several other vehicles. Explosions and fire erupted shortly after the impact, trapping three victims in their vehicles.
Foam 25 and Ambulance 259 were dispatched shortly after the first units arrived on scene. Upon arrival, the foam units' crew began foam operations to attack the still fiery dump truck and cars. Ambulance 259 assisted other medical units on scene with patient care and cleanup operations.
Units from Company 25, including Chief Robert Small, remained on scene for several hours to assist in the recovery operations.
Other units on the scene were: Chief 40 Bub Prather (Command), Rescue Squad 40, Medic 40 (Brandywine VFD), Engine 821, 883, Ambulance 829 (Waldorf VFD), Engine 361, Tanker 36 (Baden VFD), Battalion Chief 7, Maryland State Police Trooper 2. Rescue 40 extricated on trapped in the taxi cab and also requested the other units.
