June 16, 2005

Miami Township Fire-Rescue ambulance 805 was hit head-on by a van on State Route 343 while responding to a major fire at the Clifton Antique Mall on Friday night. The accident blocked traffic on S.R. 343 for two and a half hours.

By Lauren Heaton

Miami Township fire department ambulance 805, ablaze with lights and sirens, was on its way to a fire in Clifton last Friday evening when it was struck head-on by a van heading toward Yellow Springs on State Route 343.

The accident occurred at 7:20 p.m., just east of U.S. 68.

According to the State Highway Patrol report of the accident, the driver of the van, Shane Haerr, 20, Enon, was transported by CareFlight to Miami Valley Hospital. As of Tuesday, June 14, he remained in the hospital in fair condition.

The three fire department staff members riding in the ambulance, Donald Rudolf, 68, and Tricia Robertson, 22, both of Yellow Springs, and Steven McFarland, 46, Clifton, were taken to Greene Memorial Hospital. All three were treated and released with minor sprains and bruises.

The ambulance was called out just after 7 p.m. to assist with a large fire at the Clifton Antique Mall inside an old church on State Route 72 in Clifton, Fire Chief Colin Altman said.

The ambulance turned east onto State Route 343 and was traveling at about 20 miles per hour with its flashers on. Several other cars headed west on 343 had pulled over to the right side of the road when the van, coming up behind them at an estimated speed of 35 miles per hour, suddenly veered left of center and struck the ambulance, Altman said.

Yellow Springs police officers Gerry Green and Al Pierce were the first responders on the scene. They were followed by six other Miami Township squad members, rescue squads from Springfield, Xenia and Hustead Townships, as well as a State Highway Patrol trooper and a John Bryan State Park ranger, all helping to extract the passengers from their vehicles and transport them to area hospitals.

In Clifton, the Miami Township Fire-Rescue volunteers, as well as nearly 25 other firefighters from Fairborn, Cedarville, Hustead and Pitchin, concentrated on putting out the fire, which was apparently started by lightning in the attic of the 1878 church, Altman said.

After working with the fire for 10 minutes, the fire squads evacuated the building, and the roof of the church collapsed.

After several hours and 20,000 gallons of water, the Springfield News-Sun reported, the fire was brought down to smoldering and declared safe.

Two hours later around midnight, however, the fire started up again, and Miami Township Fire-Rescue personnel returned for another three hours to put it out for good, Altman said.

Fire department volunteers returned home at 3 a.m. and were out to patrol the Street Fair by 9 the next morning.

Though the intersection of U.S. 68 and State Route 343 has sometimes been problematic in the past, Friday’s accident does not appear to be related to the intersection, Altman said. Road conditions were wet on Friday night, which could have caused the van to lose control, he said.

A small amount of marijuana and some drug paraphernalia were found in the back of the van the night of the accident, State Highway Patrol Sergeant John Lumpcik said on Tuesday, speaking for the investigating officer, William Ward, who is out of the office this week.

Toxicology reports have not yet been disclosed, Lumpcik said, but Haerr will be charged with possession of illegal drugs. He also faces possible traffic charges of failing to maintain assured distance, Lumpcik said.

All those in the ambulance were wearing seatbelts when the accident occurred, which likely prevented more serious injury, Altman said. But he expressed disappointment at the number of drivers who neglect to pull over and stop when they perceive the flashing lights and sirens of emergency vehicles.

The front end of ambulance 805 suffered major damage, with its left fender smashed and shoved back into the driver’s foot space and the hood shoved back and folded up, Altman said. The vehicle was one of two fire department ambulances, and both Cedarville University and the city of Xenia have offered to loan the department one of their vehicles until the Township can repair 805 or find a replacement.