COLLETON COUNTY, South Carolina – Rescue personnel saved some precious cargo after crash involving a semi truck on Saturday.
The Colleton County, South Carolina Fire and Rescue (CCFR) responded Saturday to a crash on Interstate 95 at the 55-mile marker at approximately 1:37 p.m. on Saturday.
What the CCFR found was an overturned semi-truck blocking both southbound lanes of Interstate 95 near the 55-mile marker southbound.
CCFR said in a release posted to Facebook that a northbound semi-truck, hauling a horse trailer, had a suspected front right tire blowout, causing the truck to swerve into the median. CCFR said the truck struck the guardrail under the Beach Road overpass, taking out approximately 100 feet of guardrail before entering the median. The truck rolled over on the passenger side and slid into the southbound lanes, striking the cab of a another southbound semi-truck. The overturned truck, which was transporting a racehorse, blocked all southbound lanes.
“The horse suffered multiple non-life threatening injuries from being trapped,” CCFR’s release stated. “One leg was stuck in a side window of the trailer.”
Firefighters and paramedics, three of whom had experience working with horses, were able to calm the animal from another open window on the back of the trailer.
CCFR stated that crews used ladders to reach the top of the trailer and enter the compartment in an attempt to free the animal. Positive Pressure Ventilation (PPV) fans were also used to blow cooler air into the compartment and cool water was provided to the horse during the extrication.
“Temperatures were above 95 degrees midday Saturday, which made for difficult conditions for responders and the patient,” CCFR stated.
Another potential obstacle occurred when crews attempted to remove a portion of the trailer, but the loud noises from the tools frightened the horse which prompted Colleton County Animal Services to be requested.
Local Veterinarians Lori Campbell, and Dr. Brittany Carney, from Charleston Equine Clinic, also responded to the scene.
On-scene personnel “continued to calm the horse until the veterinarians were able to sedate her enough for crews to perform the extrication,” the release stated.
Once sedated, crews say they used Holmatro Pentheon rescue tools to cut the window guard from the side window to free her leg. They then used the rescue tools and a K-12 saw to remove a portion of the rear wall of the trailer. A space large enough for the horse to exit the trailer was cut.
After the section was removed, the animal exited the trailer on her own and was placed in a transport trailer provided by Colleton County Animal Services. The horse was transported to Charleston Equine’s facility for further treatment of her injuries.
Once the horse was freed, the roadway was cleared.
Medical personnel evaluated the truck driver at the scene, but he did not require ambulance transport to a medical facility, according to the release.
The driver of the second semi-truck also did not suffer any injuries.
Southbound traffic on I-95 backed up for several miles.
SCDOT erected a detour at Exit 57 routing traffic through Walterboro for several hours.
The Interstate was reopened three and a half hours later.
Fresh hay was also delivered to the scene to feed the horse.
“The coordinated operation ran well with everyone pitching in to save the injured horse,” CCFR stated.
The South Carolina Highway Patrol and South Carolina Department of Public Safety (STP) Police are investigating the crash.
Bruce Guthrie is an award-winning journalist who has lived in three states including Arkansas, Missouri and Georgia. During his nearly 20-year career, Bruce has served as managing editor and sports editor for numerous publications. He and his wife, Dana, who is also a journalist, are based in Carrollton, Georgia.
