Kelso, WA - Cowlitz County emergency dispatchers were alerted to a possible crash from an Automatic iPhone crash notification in the 2000 Block of Kelso Dr early Friday morning. Dispatchers notified Kelso Police and Cowlitz 2 Fire & Rescue of the potential crash at 0140am. Shortly after the first Police and Firefighters responded, 911 calls came in from other drivers stating a vehicle was on its side and is also on fire.

Two Kelso Police officers were the first to arrive followed within seconds by a Cowlitz County sheriff's deputy. All three officers bravely approached the vehicle that was on fire resting on its passenger side in a grassy area between I-5 and Kelso Dr to find a single female occupant trapped inside the vehicle. Each of the officers used their Fire extinguishers from their patrol cars to keep the fire as small as possible and out of the passenger compartment until Cowlitz 2 Fire & Rescue arrived.

A Cowlitz 2 Battalion Chief arrived approximately 15 seconds after the arriving Police Officers and declared the situation an immediate rescue with rapid extrication. Firefighters worked simultaneously to extricate the trapped woman from the car, stabilizing the vehicle and extinguishing the fire in the engine compartment. The woman was transported by Cowlitz 2 to a local hospital as a trauma patient with non-life-threatening injuries.

It was no doubt that the quick actions of the initial arriving Police Officers using their Fire Extinguishers contributed to the saving of the woman’s life from the ensuing fire caused by the rollover accident.

One Police officer received minor lacerations to their hand during the rescue of the driver. They were treated on scene and need no additional medical care.

The accident is being investigated by Kelso Police officers.