Man Rescued Off Train Tracks by Portland Fire

http://www.kgw.com/news/Portland-fire-police-crews-move-car-off-rail-tracks-239264771.html

PORTLAND – Portland firefighters and police helped free a man trapped under a car by lifting the vehicle off a set of train tracks with their own hands. The rescue was captured on camera.

On Tuesday night, firefighters from Station 14 responded to reports that a man had lost control of his car on North Lombard Street, hit a guard rail and spun down onto a set of freight train tracks.

The driver’s side door was smashed in and the man’s legs were pinned under the vehicle.

Firefighters said they had to move quickly. They had received reports that a train was near Northeast Lombard Street and Northeast 27th Avenue and headed their way.

Firefighters and police officers physically picked up the damaged car and pivoted it off the tracks.

The whole thing was captured on a firefighter’s Go-Pro camera.

“It’s an awesome perspective with the helmet cam video,” said Lt. Rich Chatman with Portland Fire and Rescue. “It’s really cool to hear them doing the count and the grunts and the real live stuff these firefighters are faced with as they’re looking at this vehicle.”

Portland Fire & Rescue has several Go-Pro cameras and uses the footage for training purposes.

The incoming freight train did get the message to stop well in advance. The man was cut out of the car and taken to the hospital.

Police are investigating the cause of the crash. The victim’s name has not been released.

About Author

countyfiretactics

Curt Isakson is a 35 year veteran of the fire service. Curt is currently a Battalion Chief for Escambia County Fire Rescue. Previously worked 9 years with the Pensacola Fire Department where he was assigned as the Company Officer on Rescue 31. Curt’s fire service experiences started at a young age as a Junior firefighter with the Midway Fire Protection District and rose through the ranks to Captain. He has worked in volunteer, career, and combination departments.

Curt has held all ranks up to Battalion Chief and been assigned to operations, training, inspections, and was Chief of Special Operations for 7 years. Curt owns and operates County Fire Tactics that covers a very diverse range of fire service topics, as well as Firefighter Rescues, a site that documents rescues made by firefighters around the country.

He has annual contracts with numerous departments to provide standardized monthly training for these departments that respond daily together under an automatic aid agreement. Curt teaches nationally to include; FDIC, Firehouse Expo, Firehouse World, Orlando Fire Conference, Atlanta Fire Conference, Bowling Green State University, and owns/operates the annual HROC, COBC, WOTF, CFT ODP on Pensacola Beach. He is a Florida Certified Fire Officer, Instructor, Inspector, Arson, and FLUSAR.

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