Extrication Required After Rollover Accident; Patient Transported for Medical Evaluation

Emergency services respond to a serious rollover accident, involving Watertown Fire Rescue and South Dakota Highway Patrol, with the vehicle heavily damaged and propped up by stabilizers on a grassy field.

Northeast Radio SD News - Watertown, SD - Emergency responders successfully extricated one individual following a single-vehicle rollover crash. The incident required the coordinated efforts of multiple agencies to safely remove the trapped occupant.

Upon arrival at the scene, Watertown Fire Rescue crews located a crossover SUV that had left the roadway and rolled, coming to rest on its side. Firefighters immediately identified one occupant trapped inside the vehicle.

Rescue personnel’s first action was to stabilize the SUV to prevent any further movement. Extrication then began using specialized rescue tools, often called the “Jaws of Life.” The operation was complicated by the vehicle's smoke, prompting crews to pull a hoseline for patient and personnel protection. South Shore personnel assisted Watertown Fire Rescue with the extrication process.

After several minutes of concentrated effort, the patient was safely removed from the vehicle. They were then immediately transferred to a waiting ambulance for medical evaluation and transport. The patient’s condition is not being released at this time.

Watertown Fire Rescue responded with Engine 4 and Medic 4. The South Dakota Highway Patrol and the Codington County Sheriff’s Office also assisted at the scene.