Sunday, July 10 at 1:17 p.m. Carlisle was alerted for an MVC involving a tractor trailer and a train. Ambulance 42 responded followed shortly thereafter by Rescue 42 with Chief Bill Carpenter.
Upon arrival, Chief Carpenter found a coal train had struck a tractor trailer carrying potatoes, with the train blocking both North and Southbound lanes of DuPont Blvd. 42-15 established South Dupont Blvd Command and requested both TMC and additional fire police. 42-15 placed 42-30 (Fire Police Captain Francis Morris) in charge of coordinating traffic operations with fire police units as well as DelDot.
The ambulance crew advised 42-15 that the driver of the tractor trailer was unhurt and the tractor portion of his rig was located in the rear of Walgreen's parking lot, where he had driven it. 42-15 assigned Captain Shawn Hinton (42-22) to take his crew around the train and determine if there were any fuel leaks and to check the condition of the Engineer and any other people on the train.
Engine 42-5 arrived on scene with Past Chief Duane Fox. He and his crew were assigned to check the cab of the truck out and make sure there were no safety hazards. Engine 42-4 arrived on scene with Firefighter Alex Ingram. He took his crew to assist Captain Hinton on the south side of the train.
After conferring with representatives from Norfolk Southern Railroad as well as personnel on the train, it was determined that due to the length of the train, which was about a mile long, indicating the southern portion of the City was split in two. At that point 42-15 placed anything south of the train tracks on dual response.
Upon determining there were no injuries from this collision. A-42 was placed available and assigned to determine what roads were impassable. DelDot was also contacted and requested to send front end loaders and dump trucks to assist with clean up of the potatoes that were on the road.
After conferring with the representatives from Norfolk Southern and Milford Police, the situation was placed under control at 14:35 hrs. Rescue 42 remained on scene to assist the representatives from Norfolk Southern with removing part of the trailer still entangled on the locomotive (Engine).
After completing that task, Rescue 42 returned to the station at 15:50 hrs. The roadway remained blocked until 5:15 p.m., when a second locomotive (Engine) that came from the Harrington yards was able to remove the train cars off the roadway and take them to their destination.
The Officers and Members of the of Carlisle Fire Company would like to extend our sincere thanks to all mutual aid Fire Police who responded and assisted with additional traffic control units under the extreme heat conditions during the duration of the incident.
Units Responded: Rescue 42, Engine 42-4, Engine 42-5, A-42, Utility 42, Norfolk Southern Railroad, Del. Dept. Transportation, Milford Police Department, 42-30 Units
