Hwy-68 Accident sends four to hospital

PHOTOS:

Firefighter-Paramedics treat multiple patients from this three car accident at Hwy-68 and Milky Way Road in Golden Valley

Golden Valley Firefighters responded to a three car accident on Hwy-68 Tuesday afternoon at 3:00 pm that sent a total four persons to KRMC for various injuries, including one Level-1 trauma and two children.  The collision occurred on Hwy-68 when a vehicle reportedly turned in front of a westbound pickup truck, getting struck on the passenger side.  The collision sent the vehicle into a minivan on Milky Way Road that was at the stop sign about to enter Hwy-68.  The driver of the minivan refused treatment at the scene even though she was struck by the air-bag deployment in the vehicle.  The driver of the pickup was rushed to KRMC for suspected Level-1 trauma injuries due to the high speed impact.  A mother and her two children were also transported to KRMC for evaluation of minor injuries.  Westbound traffic was reduced to one lane for approximately 45-minutes while patients were treated and DPS investigated the scene.

Structure Fire injures resident and one firefighter

PHOTOS:

(3) a: Firefighter Jeremy Celsi and Firefighter Steven Boss attack the fire from the exterior of this doublewide mobile home on Maverick Road.  

(69) b:  Chief O’Donohue comforts the resident of the home who was slightly injured in the smoke explosion when she tried to enter her home.

Friday at 3:03 pm, Golden Valley Fire Battalion Chief Dave Martin noticed thick black smoke coming from the area of Maverick Road South of Hwy-68 as he exited Fire Station-11 on Mayer Road.  B/C Martin heard a loud scream and saw this was a fully involved doublewide mobile home behind the Sonic Drive-In restaurant.  Firefighters arrived within 3-minutes and began extinguishing operations, having this stubborn fire under control within approximately 20-minutes.  The 35-year-old female resident stated when she tried to enter her home the door handle was very hot, and when she opened the door there was an explosion that knocked her back several feet. According to Fire Chief Thomas O’Donohue, explosions such as this are caused from superheated, oxygen starved smoke that explodes when mixed with oxygen when the door was opened. The blast shattered windows on the home and slightly injured the female who was evaluated by paramedics.

The fire caused two injuries; the resident and one firefighter who worked on the initial attack and close to the extreme heat and was removed from the attack crew for evaluation.  Neither the occupant nor the firefighter were transported to the hospital.  Golden Valley Fire Investigators worked on the scene well into the night to determine the cause of the blaze, which has yet to be announced.  The home located at 3342 Maverick Road was considered a total loss.