Firefighters Use Struts and Cribbing to Stabilize Car Trapped Under Downed Power Lines

W Amwell, NJ - Emergency responders from multiple departments executed a technical stabilization and rescue operation Thursday morning after a vehicle collided with a utility pole, bringing live electrical lines down across the crash scene.

At approximately 9:12 a.m. on September 24, the West Amwell Fire Company (Station 26), alongside mutual aid assets from Engine 48, Rescue 48, and Rescue 17, were dispatched to MVA Box 2684 for a reported single-vehicle collision with downed wires.

Chief 26 (Ent) arrived first on scene and established incident command, confirming that a passenger vehicle had struck a pole and that one occupant remained inside the cabin. While the motorist was not mechanically pinned by the wreckage, the vehicle's precarious position and the overhead electrical hazards required immediate structural stabilization before an extrication could be safely conducted.

Crews aboard Rescue 26, operating under the direction of Battalion Chief Fozman, joined Engine 26 and Engine 48 to stabilize the vehicle. Responders deployed Junk Yard Dog rescue struts alongside box cribbing to eliminate all vehicle movement. Once the chassis was immobilized and electrical safety hazards were mitigated, firefighters safely assisted the occupant out of the vehicle.

Crews from Jersey Central Power & Light (JCP&L) arrived on scene to de-energize and secure the compromised utility lines. Fire personnel maintained scene perimeter security and fluid hazard control until a commercial tow service cleared the vehicle from the roadway.