Firefighters Battle Car Fire, Help Move 125 Calves After Route 283 Crash

Londonderry Township, Pa. — September 22, 2026 — On Tuesday night, firefighters rushed to a major collision on westbound Interstate 283, near the Schoolhouse Road overpass, where a burning vehicle collided with a livestock trailer hauling 125 calves. 

Londonderry Fire Company was listed as the first responding fire department in the incident report. The county sent out the 54-1 box around 10:30 p.m. due to a vehicle collision. As crews responded, dispatchers reported that one vehicle was ablaze. 

When Engine 54 arrived, it found a car completely engulfed in flames. Firefighters from Squad 88 of the Middletown Fire Department and Tanker 54 from Londonderry helped control the fire. Fire police from Company 54 closed the westbound road as crews worked at the scene. A westbound lane was eventually reopened. 

Firefighters concluded that the burning car had collided with the rear of a livestock trailer being towed by a pickup truck. The truck and trailer stopped approximately 0.3 miles away from the burning car. 

The trailer contained 125 calves. Once the vehicle fire was contained, Chief 54 and Squad 88 headed to the livestock trailer to help with the animals, while other crews stayed with the burned vehicle. 

The damaged truck and trailer were relocated to the parking lot at the Londonderry Fire Company’s social hall. Firefighters assisted in opening the damaged rear of the trailer and moved the surviving calves into a different livestock trailer. One person was transported to a hospital. The extent of that person's injuries was not publicly released. One calf died as a result of the crash.

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