On Wednesday, October 16th at 2:22pm the Avondale Fire Company was dispatched to southbound Route 1 for an accident. Chief 23 , Medic 94 and Ambulance 23 all went responding immediately. Chester County dispatch updated responding units that multiple calls had come in reporting a large passenger van overturned with multiple patients. Dispatch immediately added additional medics and ambulances.

Chief 23 arrived finding a large 10 passenger van overturned and off the roadway. He upgraded the call requesting a full EMS task force, a fire police task force, and an additional rescue for a mass casualty incident involving an over turned van with multiple ejections, multiple entrapment and a confirmed fatality.

A mass casualty incident is declared when there is potential for an incident to exceed the resources of the local first responders.

Crews were able to quickly remove the patients to awaiting ambulances. Triage protocols were utilized to quickly access injuries, prioritize treatment and assign treating facilities.

A total of eight patients were transported to multiple hospitals and three were confirmed fatalities. Crews remained on the scene with the road closed while the accident was investigated and the vehicle was removed.

The scene was cleared and the roadway reopened at approximately 7:00pm.

This was the third fatal accident that AFC has responded to this month.

The men and women of AFC wish to send our heart filled condolences to the families, friends, and coworkers effected by this terrible tragedy.

We would also like to thank the countless first responders who dropped everything to provide assistance. Fire police, fire fighters, medics, ambulance crews, state police and especially our 911 center employees. It really was a county wide effort.