thruway

A motor-vehicle accident with unknown injuries is reported in the eastbound lane of the Thruway in the area of mile marker 404.

Pembroke and Indian Falls fire dispatched. Mercy EMS dispatched.

UPDATE 11:25 a.m.: A responding chief says, "It looks like he may be out of the woods now. It looks like he's going to be driving out of here." There is a truck off the road. 

UPDATE 11:28 a.m.: It looks like a tow will be required for the truck.

A an accident is reported on the Thruway in the area of mile marker 387, which puts it just east of Byron Road, Town of Batavia.

A driver is reportedly slumped over the wheel of his vehicle.

Town of Batavia Fire and Mercy EMS dispatched.

UPDATE 11:21 a.m.: Town of Batavia back in service. No further information of possible injuries, if any, at this point.

UPDATE 12:26 p.m.: This was a medical issue.

Town of Batavia is responding to a fully involved car fire on the Thruway, reported at mile marker 388.2 in the westbound lane.

A chief on scene reports, "it's going good."

UPDATE 1:04 a.m.: The fire was a result of the car hitting a deer.  There were no injuries as a result of the accident.

A motor-vehicle accident with injuries is reported on the Thruway at mile marker 397.0 in the eastbound lane.

Dispatchers warn responders of extremely icy conditions in the area.

East Pembroke fire and Mercy EMS dispatched.

The location is about a half mile west of the Slusser Road overpass.

UPDATE 7:43 a.m.: No injuries.

UPDATE 7:53 a.m.: A second ambulance requested after a vehicle may have struck the fire truck -- or close to it, hitting a guard rail instead. Darien fire's ambulance requested to the scene.

UPDATE 7:57 a.m.: "They hit the guard rail pretty good," reports a chief, but everybody is out of the car and injuries, if any, appear minor. The chief also reports "this is not good," cars are slowing down, but still sliding around.  

UPDATE 8:02 a.m.: Pembroke and Indian Falls requested to assemble in quarters.

UPDATE 8:06 a.m.: The East Pembroke chief informs the Pembroke chief that their crews are needed for traffic control in the eastbound lane. Another chief informs Darien's ambulance that it can go back in service. Mercy EMS can handle the signoffs on the second accident.

UPDATE 8:12 a.m.: A Pembroke chief reports icy conditions, at least two cars into guard rails. Dispatch says the Thruway Authority has a salt truck in route.

UPDATE 8:15 a.m.: There's a non-injury accident on the Route 98 overpass. A dispatcher notes, "Apparently the bridges in this county are iced over. It's Nov. 2 and the bridges are iced over."

UPDATE 8:18 a.m.: An East Pembroke chief is requesting crews completely shutdown the eastband lanes.

UPDATE 8:29 a.m.: A second accident in East Pembroke's district, on Route 5 near Wortendyke Road. The East Pembroke chief requests a dispatch for Town of Batavia while he tries to free up a unit to head that way. The dispatcher warns Town of Batavia that the road is icy. There are very minor injuries in the accident.

A car and semi-truck have collided on the Thruway in the westbound lane near mile marker 386.6

That's about two-tenths of a mile east of the Bank Street Road overpass.

There are only minor injuries.

Town of Batavia fire is responding along with Mercy EMS.

A chief on scene reports, "we've got one against the inside guard rail and one against the outside guard rail."

The left lane is blocked.

UPDATE 8:33 a.m.: A chief reports a correction on vehicles. One passenger vehicle and one flatbed truck, unloaded.

A tractor-trailer has reportedly hit the guard rail on the westbound lane of the Thruway in the area of mile marker 403.1.

Smoke is coming from the truck.

Unknown injuries.

Pembroke and Indian Falls fire departments dispatched.

Press release:

The New York State Thruway Authority has announced that emergency repairs to the Wheatland Center Road overhead bridge on I-90 westbound between exit 46 (I-390) and exit 47 (Leroy) are under way.

Thruway maintenance crews began work early this morning and will continue through early Wednesday afternoon, then resume work late Wednesday evening after rush hour in order to complete the work before the Labor Day Holiday weekend work restriction period begins.

Motorists traveling westbound on I-90 should be prepared for possible slow moving or stopped traffic.

The Thruway Authority appreciates motorists’ patience during this emergency work.

Mercy Flight is being dispatched to a landing zone the Indian Falls Methodist Church on Route 77, Pembroke, for accident on the Thruway.

The accident involves a motorcycle, though the driver was last reported as conscious. 

Indian Falls Fire and Pembroke Fire dispatched to the accident scene, along with Mercy EMS. Corfu Fire requested to the landing zone.

UPDATE 12:03 p.m.: Mercy Flight has landed.

UPDATE 12:30 p.m.: Mercy Flight is airborne, "possibly to ECMC." The assignment is back in service.

UPDATE: Photo and update info by Alecia Kaus / Video News Service. Chief Ed Mileham said the rider was headed east on the Thruway with a group of other riders when the accident occurred. He landed in the median. Mileham said his helmet saved his life. There was a big softball-sized dent in it. He was transported to ECMC with apparent serious injuries.

A truck hauling a travel trailer overturned on the Thruway this morning in the area of mile marker 392.3 in the westbound lane.

No injuries were reported, though the passenger had a complaint of head pain.

Town of Batavia fire and Mercy EMS responded.

The call was dispatched at 6:57 a.m.

Photos courtesy Town of Batavia Fire Department.

Two men from Genesee County are dead following a horrific multi-vehicle accident on the Thruway in Henrietta yesterday afternoon.

Trooper Jason Jones, PIO for Troop T, confirmed the two victims were from Genesee County, but said the State Police are not releasing the names pending notification of family members.

One victim was from Batavia, the other from Darien.

The accident was reported at 4:30 p.m. near Exit 46. Six vehicles were involved.

UPDATE July 1 (information from State Police press release): Killed in the accident were Michael F. Pehrson, 51, of Batavia, and Christopher M. Rheinheimer, 25, of Darien. They were pronounced dead at the scene after their pickup truck was struck head on by a commercial vehicle hauling a construction dumpster. That vehicle was traveling eastbound when it left its lane, crossed the center median, and traveled into westbound traffic, according to officials' preliminary investigation. State Troopers, Fire, EMS, and Thruway Authority personnel immediately responded to the scene. The operator of the commercial vehicle, Roger L. Labar, 51, of Prattsburgh, was transported to Strong Memorial Hosptial with non-life-threatening injuries. Seconds after the first collision, a westbound tractor-trailer hauling produce struck the damaged guide rail from the first collision, which punctured its fuel tank causing it to become fully engulfed in flames. The operator of the tractor-trailer, a 49-year-old man from Scarborough, Ontario, Canada, quickly exited the vehicle and was uninjured. A fourth vehicle traveling behind the tractor-trailer struck debris in the road causing it to spin and be struck head on by a fifth vehicle. The operator of the fourth vehicle, a 70-year-old man from Canandaigua, was transported to Strong Memorial Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The driver of the fifth vehicle was uninjured. A sixth vehicle traveling westbound on I-90 struck debris causing damage to the vehicle only, no other injuries were reported. State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation and Collision Reconstruction Units responded to the scene and are handling the investigation. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and New York State Department of Agriculture & Markets also responded to the scene to assist with the fuel fire and perishable cargo of the tractor-trailer. At this time, no charges have been filed against the commercial vehicle driver, and the investigation remains ongoing. All westbound traffic was diverted off the Thruway at Exit 45 (Victor) for the duration of the investigation at the scene.

Photos submitted by Mark Hough.

A tractor-trailer fire is reported on the Thruway near the rock cut by Genesee Community College.

Smoke and flames coming from the cab, according to the initial caller.

The truck is believed to be in the westbound lane.

Town of Batavia fire dispatched.

UPDATE 8:44 a.m.: Call back from the driver. It's near mile marker 387 in the eastbond lane. The driver reports the fire knocked down, but there's still smoke in the cab. The saddle tank was damaged by the fire. It's still smoldering. There is a fuel leak.

A tractor-trailer has reportedly rolled over in the westbound Thruway in the area of mile marker 380.8 in an accident that also involved a car.

Minor injuries are reported.

The trailer is reportedly a flatbed hauling some sort of equipment. No leaks or fire reported.

A first responder reports a truck on its side and a car off the road.

Le Roy fire and Le Roy ambulance responding.

UPDATE 6:34 a.m.: Mercy EMS requested to the scene. Multiple people reportedly injured. Three people were in the car. The injuries are reportedly minor.

UPDATE 7:05 a.m.: An ambulance is transporting to Strong Memorial Hospital.

Bluish smoke is coming from the back of a tractor that is in the westbound lane of the Thruway in the area of mile marker 393.

The trailer is hauling gasoline.

Town of Batavia fire dispatched.

UPDATE 7:36 a.m.: A chief is in the area. "Unfounded so far."

UPDATE 7:41 a.m.: The chief located the truck and spoke with the driver. The driver had checked it out. There was no heat nor fire, just a little smoke coming from the axle.

A vehicle, possibly a tractor-trailer, has reportedly rolled over on the Thruway near the Kelsey Road bridge. There are no injuries reported.

The mile marker is reported as 393.4.

East Pembroke fire was originally dispatched, but the accident has been determined to be in the Town of Batavia's district, so that department is being dispatched.

UPDATE 10:32 a.m.: Mercy medics confirm no injuries. State troopers on scene indicate a fire department response is not required. East Pembroke chief already well in route is continuing to confirm.

A rollover accident is reported on the Thruway in the eastbound lane near mile marker 401.8.

Pembroke and Indian Falls fire departments responding along with Mercy EMS.

The vehicle is in the median.

Unknown injuries.

UPDATE 9:29 a.m.: A Mercy medic reports both patients out of the vehicle. Both likely sign-offs (no medical transport). Pembroke and Indian Falls engines standing by at the hall or at the toll booth.

UPDATE 9:32 a.m.: Pembroke and Indian Falls back in service.

Is this your cat? Lori Vosburgh is trying to help find the feline's rightful owner. Here's what she says about it:

Jacob Bukowski was driving on the Thruway Jan. 31st, when he saw this cat laying down in the median between the Pembroke and Depew exits on the Thruway, right before the South Newstead RD overpass and 4 miles east of the Clarence Travel Plaza (Tim Horton's service area).

She was thin, cold, hungry and the hair around her neck was matted. He took her home and then to the vet the next morning. She is a young female, not micro-chipped, declawed and spayed. Instead of leaving the hair matted they shaved a little of it off. She was clearly an indoor cat and very friendly. She smelled like a farm and for obvious reasons was very dirty.

We think she may have been outside for at least a month, as another woman tried to rescue her the first of January but was unable to due to safety concerns with traffic. She reported it with the police but they must not have been able to rescue her.

She's a beautiful sweet cat and I'd like nothing more than to find her owners, or someone that would be willing to take her in. It's amazing that she made it through the bitter temperatures and snowy conditions!

If it's your cat or you can help find the owner, call Brittany  at (585) 297-0297.

Deputies are heading out to the various locations were truckers are parked to let them know that one lane of the Thruway is open in each direction in what one dispatcher called a "soft opening" of the I-90.

The goal is to start clearing truck traffic, especially in those areas, such as portions of Route 63 and Route 77, where truckers have parked to wait out the hazardous travel conditions.

A travel ban has been in effect all night for Genesee County and remains in effect at this hour. County officials are currently meeting at emergency operations center discussing the matter after sending road crews out to assess the situation.

No word yet on when the ban might be lift.

UPDATE 5:25 a.m.: A deputy reports Route 77 is now clear of truck traffic.

UPDATE 5:37 a.m.: Office Max, Home Depot and Target parking lots are now clear. Truckers at Walmart being notified next.

UPDATE 5:46 a.m.: The travel advisory for Wyoming County has been lifted.

UPDATE 5:51 a.m.: Walmart is clear. Kmart is next.

UPDATE 6:33 a.m.: Truck traffic for fuel going into Flying J is getting backed up on Route 77. A deputy says he's going to have to shut down truck traffic at Brickhouse Corners.

UPDATE 7:09 a.m.: Route 77 is being closed to all northbound traffic at Brickhouse Corners.

The driver of a truck hauling an out-of-service Mercy Flight helicopter apparently hit a slick spot on the road and lost control of the truck, causing the trailer to roll over.

The helicopter was heavily damaged when it rolled off the trailer.

"It's just property damage," said Mercy Flight's CFO Margaret Ferentino. "That's the good news. Thank goodness, no one was hurt."

The helicopter was taken out of service in 2011 and had been sold to a company in Australia. It was being hauled to Canandaigua for repainting.

Most of the components had been removed to prepare it for repainting, Ferentino said.

Based on pictures from the scene, Ferentino said it appears the helicopter was totaled in the accident, but it will be assessed when it's returned to Mercy Flight's base in Buffalo.

The accident was reported at 10:38 a.m. in the area of mile marker 402, which is just west of the Pembroke toll plaza.

Photo: Courtesy NYSP Public Information Officer, Troop A, Trooper Victor Morales.

A car has reportedly struck a guard rail on the Thruway in the area of mile marker 394.

Dispatchers have received multiple calls. One caller reports the car struck the guard rail head-on.

No word on possible injuries.

East Pembroke fire is responding.

UPDATE 9:29 a.m.: Mercy ambulance on scene, confirming minor injuries. The location is mile marker 394.6.

UPDATE 9:50 a.m.: East Pembroke back in service.

The East Pembroke Fire Department has been dispatched to mile post marker 397.2 westbound on the New York State Thruway for a possible fire in the engine compartment of a tractor-trailer.

Call into 9-1-1 reports heavy smoke coming from the engine area.

The truck is described as having an open flatbed trailer with contents on the flatbed.

UPDATE 2:06 p.m.: East Pembroke fire on scene and there is no smoke showing.

UPDATE 2:10 p.m.: East Pembroke Fire Department reports a blown motor and the tractor-trailer will need a tow. The occupants will remain in the cab. East Pembroke assignment will go back into service. State Police are now on location.