A driver was left seriously injured and firefighters worked extensively to extricate him following a double rollover crash that brought power lines down on Route 23 near Marengo.
The Marengo Fire & Rescue Districts responded around 9:42 a.m. Thursday to the intersection of Route 23 and River Road in unincorporated Marengo for a vehicle crash with injuries.
Firefighters arrived within five minutes and found a serious two-vehicle rollover crash, according to Marengo Fire and Rescue Districts Communication Specialist Alex Vucha.
A 40-foot box truck was rolled onto its side off the roadway and a full-sized cargo van was rolled over in the roadway.
A large utility pole had been struck, resulting in several high-powered electrical lines over the scene.
Vucha said an adult male, who was driving the box truck, was heavily entrapped in his vehicle and complaining of various injuries.
An expedited response from ComEd was requested due to the downed power lines.
Firefighters quickly stabilized the vehicle and began a complex extrication of the truck’s cab once the power lines were deemed safe, Vucha said.
The driver was safely removed at 11:30 a.m. and transferred to an awaiting LifeNet medical helicopter.
He was then flown to Javon Bea Hospital—Riverside in Rockford with serious injuries, Vucha said.
The male driver of the cargo van refused medical attention while at the scene.
The Woodstock Fire/Rescue District, Huntley Fire Protection District, Marengo Township Highway Department and McHenry County Sheriff’s Office assisted during the incident.
The McHenry County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the cause of the crash.