Con Ed performs rescue after car accident

Con Edison Crew Rescues a Baby, Two Women Trapped at Scene of an Auto Collision
Four Con Edison workers rescued a baby and two women earlier this week when the cars they were driving in collided, bringing down a traffic light and exposing electric wires to spilled gasoline.

“We heard a loud crash and saw gasoline pouring out from under one of the cars right next to the pedestrian crossing sign that was hit,” said James DeVita, Brooklyn/Queens Overhead Supervisor. “And we saw people inside, trying to get out.”

The collision took place about 12:30PM Tuesday at the intersection of Francis Lewis Blvd. and 53rd Ave. in Queens. One car caromed off a pedestrian crossing sign at the northwest corner of the intersection causing the sign to topple and break.

The Con Edison workers immediately lowered themselves from their overhead buckets and ran one-and-a-half blocks to the accident scene.

“It was kind of crazy. We were standing in gasoline and then we saw the baby in the back seat,” said Rich Coyle, Chief Lineman.

DeVita and another Con Edison Lineman, Chris Jensen, quickly worked to free the baby and an unconscious woman in the driver’s seat. “I finally had to cut the little girl out of the seat. The gas fumes were getting pretty strong,” added DeVita.

Another lineman, Mauricio Rincon, also helped with the rescue, including getting another injured woman out of the other car by bringing her over the front seat to the back in order to get her out through the undamaged rear door.

“And all this time, we could see those exposed wires – something we know about,” said DeVita. He also dialed 911.

The crew managed to quickly get all the victims far enough away from the accident scene just as NYPD and FDNY responders arrived and aided the victims. The two women and baby are unidentified and the extent of injuries unknown.

“I have a six-year-old daughter,” said Lineman Rincon, “and that’s all I could think of was to get that baby out of danger.”

The workers were installing an overhead transformer in front of nearby P.S. 62 as part of Con Edison’s summer preparations.