On Friday, May 26, 2006 at 2:20 a.m., 11 companies of Los Angeles firefighters, eight LAFD rescue ambulances, one heavy rescue, two urban search and rescue task forces, three helicopters, three EMS battalion captains, four battalion chief officer command teams, and one division chief officer command team all under the direction of Assistant Chief Tony Varela responded to a Multi-Casualty Traffic Accident in the 13700 block of Mulholland Drive in the Beverly Glen area of Los Angeles.
Over 100 firefighters and paramedics worked tirelessly for more than two hours to extricate, treat, and transport eight people from a vehicle that plunged more than 200 feet over the side of Mulholland Drive.
Two patients were found at the top of the hillside near the roadway, both had sustained moderate injuries. Due to the extreme terrain, access to the vehicle below proved extremely difficult. Firefighters using a combination of rope rescue systems were able to rappel down and navigate the steep terrain and thick brush to access the vehicle below.
LAFD helicopters, equipped with the “Night Sun” assisted in illuminating the area and searching for additional victims.
When firefighters reached the vehicle below, they found an additional six patients. Firefighters immediately triaged all patients and determined that the remaining six patients had sustained minor to moderate injuries.
Firefighters and paramedics immediately provided medical care and began preparing patients to be removed to the area above.
Two LAFD USAR (Urban Search and Rescue) Task Forces were requested to assist in setting up and operating a rope rescue system for removing the patients. Two simultaneous rope rescue systems were established and operated by USAR members during this incident.
In addition, LAFD helicopters conducted hoist operations using litter baskets to provide rapid transport for four of the injured teens.
Six patients sustained moderate injuries and two received minor injuries. Fortunately, none of the eight patients injuries were life threatening.
All eight patients, ranging from ages 13 through 19 were transported to local hospitals including Providence Holy Cross Medical Center, UCLA Medical Center, and Sherman Oaks Hospital.
Preliminary reports have indicated that the teens, from Anaheim, were returning home from a party in Hollywood. Six of the teens were riding in the passenger compartment of the Nissan Sentra sedan while two teens where locked in the trunk.
As the vehicle careened off the embankment and began to roll down the hillside, the trunk lid opened, throwing the teenagers clear of the wreckage.
Initial indications from allied agencies are that alcohol or drugs did not play a role in this incident, the cause of which is currently under investigation by the Los Angeles Police Department.