MAXATAWNY, PA - On November 15th at 19:55, Kutztown Fire Company station 46 was dispatched with EMS to an MVA with unknown injuries at the intersection of Route 222 and Church Rd. in Maxatawny Township.

A short time later the call was upgraded to entrapment reported to be a tractor-trailer into a house. Within a minute the call was upgraded again to a structure fire, bringing several mutual aid companies to assist. Chief 46 also requested Lehigh County 42 for a full technical rescue team response. With reports of two people trapped a second MICU was also added.

Crews arrived to find the tractor portion of the tractor-trailer completely into the house, with entrapment of an occupant of the house and the driver of the tractor-trailer. The assignment was scaled back to station 46, Topton station 21, Fleetwood Rescue 45 and Engine 45, Kempton Rescue 44 and Blandon station 12 for RIT.

Fire crews immediately went to work stabilizing and lighting up the scene. Extrication efforts began for both patients. Several crews worked together to begin removing debris and tunneling towards the patients. At approximately one hour into the incident crews were able to extricate the homeowner that was trapped under the tractor-trailer.

Lehigh County Technical Rescue arrived and began assessing how to stabilize the building. Within 10 minutes crews were able to extricate the driver of the tractor-trailer. Once the patients and all fire crews were out of the building Lehigh 42 went to work with stablization and shoring up of the house. Crews remained on location for over seven more hours until the house was stabilized and the tractor-trailer was removed.