AKRON, N.Y. (WKBW) — As more details emerge from Friday's deadly tour bus crash on Interstate 90, the heroic efforts of first responders who worked to save lives are coming to light.
The Town of Clarence shared a powerful image thanking the fire company and all those who assisted victims of the crash. According to the post, crews worked together to help rescue a passenger pinned underneath the rear tires of the bus. That woman is still alive.
Four first responders shared with me what it was like in those critical moments, with lives on the line.
Joe Hawes, one of the first chiefs from Erie County to arrive at the crash site, described the scene as chaos.
"Pretty much chaos, debris everywhere," said Hawes, Newstead Fire Company first assistant chief.
It's something Hawes said he learned about in training over the years, but he never expected to respond to such an intense situation in real life. Once he arrived, he was put in charge of extrication.
"I did my walk around, check see what I had, and then I found the woman there pinned underneath the tire and I knew I had a situation on my hands on both sides of the bus that we had to deal with," Hawes said.
Hawes and several other fire personnel had to work together to lift the tour bus up to free the woman. It is something state fire instructor Mike Carrubba said was a very complex situation. They lifted the bus using high-pressure airbags.
"With patients trapped on both sides of the bus, we couldn't just tip it one way or another and it had to be conjoined lift and lift at the same time, just enough to get her some room and get her out," said Carrubba.
Carrubba said it took about two hours to get the final passenger out.
Hawes and Carrubba each have more than 20 years of experience as fire personnel. They both attribute their seamless response to their training. Without mutual aid, this would not have been possible.
"There's no way there's something of that magnitude. One department can't handle that on its own. It took everything from the volunteer service to the paid service, all the way up into state agencies," said Charles Haist, Akron Fire Company fire chief.
Akron and Clarence fire companies also assisted Pembroke's bravest, guided by more than 20 years of experience.
"We had really experienced people with us. I had two assistants with me that train with that constantly so. I'd like to say that I was ready for it there's definitely a sea of chaos that you come into when you're there, but you have to focus on what task you've been asked to do and get to work," said Ruth Rider-Work, Clarence Fire Company fire chief.
The NTSB investigation will be taking a closer look at the company operating the tour bus.
