Updated 11:04 a.m. Feb. 10, 2024.
A section of U.S. Route 322 eastbound/Upper Flat Rock Road in Centre County was closed for several hours Saturday night after a tanker truck crashed over an embankment on Port Matilda Mountain.
The crash happened at about 7:40 p.m. on the 2400 block of Upper Flat Rock Road between Philipsburg and Port Matilda, according to Hope Fire Company. One person was injured in the crash, and it took two hours for emergency crews to extricate the patient from the vehicle, which had come to rest in a small stream 75 feet down the embankmment.
“Crews were faced with a very tough situation, due to the cab of the truck pinning the patient down, a tree being down on top of the truck and patient, leaving crews with minimal space to work with to attempt a rescue effort,” Columbia Volunteer Fire Company of Osceola Mills wrote in a Facebook post.
“After tireless work by everyone involved, the operator was freed from the wreckage with a two hour and two minute extrication period,” Hope Fire Company wrote.
The man was flown by Life Flight helicopter to a trauma center, .
The road was closed for a nearly 10-mile stretch from Black Moshannon Road/Presqueisle Street to Blazosky Road/Shady Dell Road. It reopened at about 11:30 p.m.
Centre Region Hazmat was among the numerous emergency response agencies from Centre and Clearfield counties called to the scene. The tanker was reportedly carrying glycerin, which is non-toxic, that was leaking after the crash.
In addition to Philipsburg Fire Department, Columbia Fire Company and the hazmat team, Port Matilda, Alpha, Snow Shoe and Howard fire companies, Moshannon Valley and Port Matilda EMS, Philipsburg, Port Matilda and Morris Township fire police, state police, Centre County EMA, Rush Township EMA and Bigler Boyz Towing & Recovery responded.
State police are investigating the cause of the crash.
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