On July 28th 2006 around 0915 in the morning the Marlboro Township 911 center received multiple calls for an overturned truck on US Highway Route 18 Northbound, underneath the Route 520 overpass. First arriving patrol advised of a large dump truck on its side with heavy white smoke coming from the vehicle across all lanes of traffic north and southbound. Fire and EMS units were dispatched as soon as the calls flooded in at the dispatch center. Shortly before Fire Chief Badler of the Robertsville Fire Dept. arrived on the scene, he was advised of a subject trapped underneath the truck. Moment’s later Marlboro dispatch advised subject was DOA and trapped underneath the vehicle. Upon the arrival Chief, he assumed command, and did a quick survey noting that the full load of dirt was spread across two lanes of Route 18 and a very minor leak of diesel fuel was on the ground. At that time it became a crime scene and body recovery situation for fire department units, they would have to lift the dump truck cab off the upper torso of the deceased subject. A precautionary line was stretched by the Rescue-Engine 274 on arrival and rehab area was set up by Heavy Rescue Unit 286 and Utility 287 Marlboro EMS Captain Greenburg arrived on the scene and set up an EMS sector. He advised again of 1 confirmed DOA and 2 BLS injuries, 1 from the overturned vehicle and the other from a secondary accident that occurred on the southbound side due to the original heavy smoke condition emitting from the overturned truck northbound. Lengthy accident investigation ensued from Local and State police and cleanup by NJ state DOT. At the conclusion of the documentation of the scene by law enforcement, fire department was given the ok to remove the body as needed. The vehicle was stabilized and airbags were used to disentangle the body from the wreck. The cause is still under investigation.

PHOTOS AND NARRATIVE BY KEITH BADLER CAR 700