An early Sunday afternoon motor vehicle crash has left one person clinging to life, Pahrump Valley Fire and Rescue Chief Scott Lewis said.
The collision occurred at the intersection of North Blagg Road and West Ranch Street just after 1 p.m.
Lewis said upon arrival, fire crews found the crash involved a motorcycle and a car.
“The motorcycle had two riders and there was a significant distance between the patients and the vehicles,” Lewis said. “There was a separation of the riders from the bike, where it was determined that both patients had sustained serious injuries. Mercy Air 21 and Mercy Air 24 were launched and landed at a designated LZ. Both patients were flown to UMC Trauma, where one had sustained significant injuries while the other sustained critical, potentially fatal injuries.”
Vehicle becomes airborne
Earlier that day emergency crews were summoned to the far south-end of town for a single-vehicle rollover crash along the 9600 block of Homestead Road, just before 7 a.m.
The initial investigation revealed that the young female driver of the vehicle, traveling at a high rate of speed, lost control and went into a sideways skid, where the vehicle actually became airborne as it literally flew across two lanes and landed in the desert area, roughly a half mile from the town’s brothels on Homestead Road.
“While responding, crews were notified that there was an impact and subsequent damage to a power pole,” Lewis said. “That vehicle was involved in a rollover where there was a report of the occupant being unable to exit the vehicle.”
Upon arrival, emergency crews found the accident as reported.
After briefly surveying the scene, crews deemed it necessary to upgrade their assignment as a rescue.
“Crews added our heavy rescue apparatus, along with myself,” Chief Lewis said. “Upon my arrival I found a scene hazard, that being a power pole which had been severed, and was suspended by the power lines only. The vehicle was found resting on its right side and there was significant damage to all sides of that vehicle, including the underside, which apparently was the first to strike the power pole.”
The scene size-up, Lewis noted, also revealed that the occupant was trapped inside the vehicle.
“The crews stabilized the vehicle and extricated the patient within 20 minutes,” Lewis said. “Mercy Air 21 was launched and added to the assignment. The airship landed approximately two blocks away due to those suspended power lines. Patient care was transported to Mercy Air and that patient was flown to UMC Trauma in Las Vegas. The Nye County Sheriff’s Office is completing that investigation.”
Gunshot victim transported
Later on Sunday, emergency crews were dispatched to the 1200 block of South Highway 160 for a person who sustained a gunshot wound just before 7 p.m.
“Upon arrival crews arrived and met with Nye County Sheriff’s Office deputies who escorted us to the patient that had sustained an accidental discharge and gunshot wound to the lower extremities,” Lewis said. “That patient was deemed to meet trauma criteria and was transported from the Highway 160 location to Mercy Air 21 and subsequently flown to UMC Trauma in Las Vegas.”
The person is expected to fully recover from their injury.
Meeting the challenges
Emergency crews saw their fair share of assignments throughout last week.
On Tuesday, fire crews were inundated with multiple back-to-back-to-back-to-back emergency responses throughout the morning and afternoon.
Crews were dispatched for a brush fire in the area of Plantation Street and Manse Road just after 6 a.m.
“Upon arrival, crews found a brush fire with no immediate structure exposures and that fire was quickly controlled with no extension,” Lewis said. “At 6:16 a.m. on the same day, we were dispatched for an injury motor vehicle accident at Highway 160 and Harris Farm Road. The investigation revealed a passenger vehicle had struck a burro in the roadway. Both the driver and the burro sustained injuries. It is unknown about the final status of the burro, but the occupant of the vehicle was transported to the local hospital.”
Roughly 45 minutes later on Tuesday, crews were dispatched to a structure fire just before 7 a.m., along the 3300 block of West Prospector Street.
“Upon arrival, crews found a groundcover fire that had extended to an accessory outbuilding at the rear of the property,” Lewis said. “The fire, which had extended onto two separate properties, was quickly contained. The structure was saved with minimal damage as well as two classic cars on the property. A nearby property had also sustained some groundcover fire damage only. The cause of that fire is undetermined at present, and there were no injuries.”
Later that morning, fire crews were summoned to Rosemary Clarke Middle School for a possible fire, just after 11 a.m.
“We were dispatched for an alarm system activation with a possible fire at 4201 North Blagg Road,” Lewis said. “Upon arrival, we found an overcooking incident, where food products were over-prepared, causing a smoke condition throughout a wing of the building. The structure was ventilated and the building had been evacuated during that process. There were no injuries reported.”
Lewis also said crews were dispatched to another cooking fire along the 1400 block of Silver Peak Street just after 4 p.m., where upon arrival, crews found an accidental stove-top fire with no direct extension to the rest of the home. No injuries were reported.
Fire crews save multiple structures, vehicles
On Saturday, Nov. 18, crews were dispatched to the 100 block of East Bronco Street in the town of Crystal, for a structure fire just after 1 p.m.
“During the response, crews were advised that there was one, if not possibly two, manufactured dwellings involved,” Lewis noted. “We exercised our Mutual Aid Agreement, due to the fact that there are no fire hydrants located in Crystal. As a result, we requested an additional water supply. Crews then fought a three-structure fire which was used as a single residence. There were no injuries reported nor was there entrapment. Crews were able to control that fire in short fashion with no further extension. The cause of that fire is still under investigation.”
Driver arrested following crash
Later in the afternoon, emergency crews were dispatched to the area of East Basin Avenue and Highway 160 at approximately 2:30 a.m.
“Upon arrival, crews found a vehicle which had struck a fence and subsequently rolled over,” Lewis said. “It was understood that the vehicle may have been involved in a police action. The driver was found to be in the care and custody of the Nye County Sheriff’s Office. There were injuries sustained, however, there was no medical transport.”
Altruistic annual mission
Aside from their daily emergency service calls this week, Pahrump fire crews will once again participate in an annual event to the benefit of Pahrump’s senior population on Wednesday morning, Lewis said.
“We will be delivering Thanksgiving meals to our homebound residents on November 22,” Lewis said. “Approximately 8:15 a.m. will be mustering at the Pahrump Senior Center and then delivering the dinners to shut-in seniors. We feel it’s a good community deed where we can give back and help our seniors. It’s just a great cause that the Pahrump Senior Center does each year and it’s a great cooperation between us as well. We actually bring in some volunteers to assist us and to ensure that our service levels are not disrupted. This is all done through proper planning.”
Additionally, Lewis said fire crews routinely see an increase in service calls throughout the Thanksgiving holiday season.
“We do experience a number of motor vehicle accidents, cooking-related fires, and burns,” he said. “Each year we always remind people to be careful with deep-fat frying their turkeys. They should not drop them, or place them in a hazardous location within the kitchen. They also want to make sure the turkeys are removed from their plastic covering, fully thawed, and not frozen before they submerge them.”
Contact reporter Selwyn Harris at sharris@pvtimes.com, on Twitter: @pvtimes