Every year, 6 million car accidents occur in the United States. Every day, more than 90 people are killed in car accidents. Every year, 3 million people in the United States are injured in car accidents.
Oregon firefighters rescued two people Saturday after a rollover crash in a remote area trapped them inside their vehicle for hours, according to authorities.
Just before 5 a.m., first responders received a call about a vehicle crash in the rural area southwest of Timber, a community about 40 miles northwest of Portland, according to Banks Fire District 13.
The caller stated that the vehicle had gone off the road and over an embankment but was unable to provide an exact location.
According to fire officials, the lack of phone service in the remote area prevented first responders from learning the exact location of the vehicle right away.
“Neither of the phones were able to hit more than one tower, which is necessary to give a good triangulation,” the fire district stated. “The best location we had from the phones was what tower they were hitting, and in the coast range that can be very misleading.”
According to the fire district, rescuers got creative to narrow the search area by alternating sirens and listening for the caller honking a vehicle’s horn.
Fire officials said that about two hours after receiving the call, rescuers met a hiker in the area who directed them to the crash site. The vehicle, which had flipped over an embankment and onto its roof, was then discovered by first responders.
One of the occupants had fled the truck, while the other two were still inside. To save both victims, firefighters used a high-angle rope rescue.
One of the victims was airlifted to a hospital and was in critical condition.
Fire officials advised travelers to always know their exact location because cellphones do not always provide accurate location information.
