At 1:45 a.m. on Saturday, March 16, 2024, Second District VFD&RS and surrounding EMS Companies were dispatched a motor vehicle crash near the intersection of Point Lookout Road and Chingville Road in Leonardtown, MD. Moments later, the rescue assignment escalated into a serious motor vehicle accident, prompting the dispatch of Squad 3 along with the duty fire chief.

Upon arrival, responders found a harrowing scene: a single vehicle had overturned, coming to rest on its roof in the middle of Chingville Road. Fire Chief 6 (Windsor), reached the site swiftly to find an adult female outside the vehicle, expressing concern for her two children believed to be inside.

The situation intensified as responders searched for the children, fearing they had been ejected from the vehicle. Tragically, all three children, each under the age of 10, were discovered with critical injuries. One child was found in a nearby field, another on the roadway unconscious, and the third trapped inside the vehicle, unresponsive.

The response was swift and coordinated, with firefighters from Bay District and Second District employing specialized equipment including airbags, lifting tools, and stabilization cribbing to extricate the trapped child.

Maryland State Police Helicopter Trooper 2 was called in to assist, landing at the scene promptly to aid in the response efforts.

The adult female operator, while injured, was conscious and communicative upon transportation to the hospital, with injuries believed to be non-life threatening.

All three children, however, were transported to a nearby hospital in critical condition, their injuries deemed life-threatening by medical personnel.

This tragic incident underscores the importance of caution on the road, especially during late-night hours. The Bay District VFD extends its deepest condolences to the family and friends of the deceased juvenile and wishes a swift and full recovery to those injured in the accident.