Wreck gets weird in the woods.

Mid-Town - September 5, 2000 --- What started out as  just a "car in the ditch" call turns out to be a possible attempted suicide complete with a working car fire and multiple injuries to the victim.

Reportedly, when Evans Police arrived at the accident scene on Southwestern Blvd. (Rte. 20) near Gowans Rd., they found a lone victim near the crashed car. The driver had apparently  struck a tree a few hundred feet off the roadway, snapping it at its base. The auto had caught  fire, apparently following the impact. Officers attempted to remove the victim from the hazard but before they could, the victim attempted to re-enter the burning vehicle.

She was subsequently removed to a more secure location by Evans Police. When Evans Center Fire Chief Dennis Allen arrived, the car was fully involved in flames and the victim had suffered second-degree burns and other injuries. Further examination found lacerations on the victim's wrists. Based on her injuries and the nature of the incident, Allen requested Angola Fire Control to dispatch a Mercy Flight Medical Helicopter to land at the Angola Airport for transport to the Erie County Medical Center.

Evans Center Engine 1 and their ambulance responded simultaneously. Evans Center' EMS team, lead by Paramedics Doug Milks and Tim Szczepaniak, worked to stabilize the patient while Engine 1's crew extinguished the fire. Engine 3 responded to the airport to secure a landing zone for the helicopter. The patient was transported to the airport and transferred to the care of Mercy Flight Paramedic Skip Yuhnke.

Evans Center was assisted at the scene by their fire police, the Town of Evans Police, Angola Fire Control Dispatch and Rural/Metro Medical Services.

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Firefighting is not for everyone – but volunteering can be. Evans Center offers limited duty memberships in the areas of Fire/Rescue only, Fire Police only, Emergency Medical Services Only, Water Rescue only, or Corporate only.  Corporate members support the fire department through administrative, technology, fund-raising, clerical and other non-emergency business functions.

If you or anyone you know are interested in volunteering, please do not hesitate to contact the Evans Center Fire Company at 716/549-1221 or fill our our feedback form or e-mail to: info@ecvfc.org