Three residents visiting from Ashland, Ohio, were rescued by firefighters/paramedics from Clallam 2 Fire-Rescue (Port Angeles) and rangers from Olympic National Park Friday, June 26, after their late model Chrysler Town & Country mini-van drove off the road and rolled over on Hurricane Ridge Road.

The mini-van which was traveling up the ridge, apparently rolled one-and-a-half times before coming to a stop, trapping two of the three passengers. The victims were trapped inside for nearly 30 minutes as rescuers responded. The driver was apparently distracted by the view and drove about 25 feet off the edge of the road at mile post 16 a short distance from the top of the narrow winding road.

Firefighters arrived, sized up the accident scene and set up a rescue system using ropes and a stretcher which was lowered to the vehicle. Clallam 2 Fire-Rescue paramedics removed and treated two of the three passengers for non-life threatening injuries and transported two females by ambulance to Olympic Medical Center.

The patients were ages 72 and 48 years of age respectively.

According to firefighters at the scene no fuel spilled from the van however the rescue took a number of first responders to successfully complete.

Due to the potential for a more extensive and complex rescue operation in steep, rugged terrain, the Washington Region II Technical Rescue Team was ordered by fire officers commanding the rescue. The technical rescue team was cancelled when all patients were successfully rescued.

(Region II Technical Rescue Team is comprised of rescue specialists from Port Angeles Fire Department, Clallam County Fire District 3 and Clallam 2 Fire-Rescue.)

Twelve firefighter/paramedics from Clallam 2 Fire-Rescue were assisted by two firefighters from Olympic National Park Engine 701 and a several Park rangers.