Bristol Firefighters Cut Trapped Driver Free and Contain Fuel Leak Following Highway Wreck

Bristol, NY - A collision between a minivan and a tractor-trailer resulted in a driver extrication, a significant hazardous material spill, and a multi-hour closure of State Route 64 on Wednesday.

On September 16, the Bristol Volunteer Fire Department was dispatched to State Route 64, between Fisher Hill Road and Vincent Hill Road, following a serious motor vehicle crash involving a minivan and a commercial tractor-trailer.

Upon impact, the tractor-trailer suffered a ruptured fuel tank, discharging a large volume of diesel fuel across the roadway and threatening nearby drainage areas. First-arriving firefighters immediately initiated dual operations, using specialized hydraulic rescue tools to cut into the heavily damaged minivan and free the trapped driver while simultaneously deploying spill control equipment to contain the expanding fuel slick.

Once extricated, the driver of the minivan was transferred to the Canandaigua Emergency Squad for rapid medical care and transport to an area hospital, where they were reported to be in satisfactory condition.

Spill mitigation and environmental containment were conducted in coordination with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). Highway maintenance crews and emergency responders kept State Route 64 shut down in both directions for several hours while the fuel was neutralized, debris was cleared, and the roadway was made safe for travel.