Fire service goes from gas leak to overturned vehicle in flash

Gaston, SC (Paul Kirby) – Thursday morning, Lexington County firefighters were standing by at a gas leak near Gaston. Someone had hit a gas line at Hwy. 321 south and West Ballpark Road. All the fire service could do was stand-by and wait for the gas company to come and shut off the flow. They had a hose pulled in case they needed to dissipate the gas, but for the most part it was a stand around and wait situation.

Suddenly, just a short distance from where they were, a car’s driver lost control, spun into the median of the highway, and flipped over. The firefighters just reacted. Some went to check on the car’s driver who was trapped in the wreckage. Another called for more equipment and an ambulance. In short order, the driver was freed, and a crew had treated the person for injuries suffered in the crash. The two parts of the Public Safety Department, the fire service and EMS, worked seamlessly together to serve the citizens of the county.

For Lexington County’s firefighters and EMTs, this was all just in a day’s work. Life can be a bore one moment and full of excitement the next. They are trained by the county to handle all types of emergencies in a state-of-the-art training facility on Ballpark Road. Their training never stops. Each shift, they learn something new. Thursday was just a great example of why that training and dedication is so important.