By Gina Yarbrough
Oceanside, CA–The Oceanside Fire Department responded to two serious vehicle-related emergencies in separate parts of the city early Sunday morning.
The first incident occurred on the northbound Interstate 5 freeway, where a vehicle veered off the roadway and collided with a tree on a steep hillside. When emergency crews arrived, they found the car’s engine compartment engulfed in flames and the driver trapped inside. Firefighters extinguished the fire, stabilized the vehicle, and extricated the driver.
The victim was airlifted to Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla in critical but stable condition, according to fire officials.
While crews were still working at the freeway scene, a second emergency call came in reporting a vehicle had crashed into a residence at 644 Elaine Avenue. A battalion chief and truck company responded after clearing from the first scene.
Upon arrival, crews found that an SUV had veered off Vandergrift Road and crashed into a bedroom of the home, where a woman had been sleeping. No serious injuries were reported in the second incident, according to officials at the Oceanside Fire Department.
Fire personnel secured the area, shut off utilities, and waited for a building inspector to assess the structural damage to the home.
Both incidents remain under investigation.
The Oceanside Fire Department urges drivers to remain alert and cautious while behind the wheel to help prevent similar accidents.
