Firefighters rescue trapped victim after vehicles overturn on I-78 in Hunterdon County
CLINTON TOWNSHIP, N.J. (Hunterdon County) — Clinton Township firefighters and emergency responders conducted a technical rescue Tuesday after two vehicles overturned down a steep, snow-covered embankment along Route 78 eastbound in Clinton Township, officials said.
According to a post from the Township of Clinton Division of Fire, the Annandale Hose Company responded to the scene on Jan. 27, 2026, and found the vehicles off the roadway with at least one person trapped. Crews worked with 36 Rescue (SBES), the Lebanon Fire Department and the New Jersey State Police to carry out the operation.
Because of hazardous footing, extreme cold and limited access to the vehicles, responders deployed a low-angle rope rescue system to safely reach the scene and access the entrapped victim, officials said.
Firefighters combined technical rope rescue techniques with vehicle stabilization and extrication efforts while emergency medical services and law enforcement coordinated operations at the scene. Responders maintained constant communication and adjusted tactics as conditions changed, according to the fire division.
Once freed, the patient was secured and carefully transported up the embankment using the rope rescue system before being transferred to waiting ambulances for further care.
Officials said the rescue highlighted the importance of mutual aid partnerships, coordinated decision-making and cross-agency training in managing complex emergencies under difficult conditions.
