Semi Plunges Down Embankment: Story Updated 9/10/18
A GoFundMe page has been established for the Kennewick man who was badly injured Tuesday when his truck hauling fruit crashed on McNeil Canyon Road. Dwayne Philp of Kennewick was trapped in the wreckage for over three hours while a team of 26 first responders extricated him from the cab of the overturned semi. Philp was airlifted from the scene to Central Washington Hospital with critical injuries.
The Help The Philp Family GoFundMe Page says Philp remains hospitalized and faces a painful, slow recovery. Dwayne Philp was the family’s sole provider. The family is now facing medical bills and unsure of how to make ends meet. The Philp family with three kids, has an 18 year old who will be leaving for college in a few days. All proceeds raised through the GoFundMe page will help the Philp family pay for medical bills and living expenses.
Information and Photos used by permission of Douglas County Fire District 4
At 6:41 this morning Rivercom received dispatch report of as semi accident at the bottom of the McNeil Canyon Grade.
Fire personnel arrived on the scene to find a heavily damaged semi, on fire, 100 feet down an embankment though a guardrail. The semi and trailer were upside down with loaded trailer attached. The driver was found conscious but severely pinned in the wreckage.
The fire was quickly extinguished. Extrication was commenced cutting the side and back off the semi cab, then cutting and pulling parts of the dash, frame, seat and floor away from the victim. A team of 26 firefighters using multiple rescue tools (jaws of life) worked simultaneously on separate parts of the semi to release the victim from the mangled wreckage. A heavy tow truck from Randy’s towing and air bags were used during the extrication process to lift the semi during extrication.
The patient was freed after a three-hour fifteen-minute extrication process. The severely injured patient was transported by a team of firefighters and EMS from the bottom of the canyon to ambulance, transported one-quarter mile to a waiting Life-Flight helicopter who transported the patient to Central Washington Hospital in Wenatchee.
Fire arrived on scene in just over five minutes after the initial call with units from Orondo Fire, Chelan Fire Rescue, Mansfield Fire, Lake Chelan Community Hospital EMS responding as well as a Life Flight helicopter. The Douglas County Sheriff, WSP and Douglas County Transportation and Land Services were on scene conducting investigation and traffic control.
