4 rescued, 2 Life Flight helicopters called after car found upside down in trees

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) -- Four people were rescued early Monday morning after a rollover crash on I-5 North in Kelso on Monday morning.

Despite traumatic injuries, officials say all four victims are expected to survive, officials say.

Cowlitz 2 Fire & Rescue says they responded to the crash just before 2:45 a.m. near mile marker 42 and learned that one of the occupants of the car was thrown from the vehicle. The caller also reported that the car was upside down in trees.

"The accident was initially not found at mile marker 42, but a responding Cowlitz County Sheriff’s Deputy located faint vehicle tracks that left I-5 near MM 43. The deputy climbed down a steep embankment through heavy brush and trees finding a passenger car rolled over 60’ off the roadway and down a slope 40’ with tall brush surrounding the vehicle. The deputy guided fire companies to the location and it was discovered that there were four occupants with significant traumatic injuries," officials said.

The first Life Flight helicopter was dispatched and landed on I-5 South, which caused the freeway to be closed for almost 30 minutes. A second helicopter was called minutes later due to the severity of the injuries.

"Due to tall brush, down trees, and very steep ground, a decision was made to use a ladder truck aerial ladder with a rope off the end to carry a stokes basket to remove (the) victims from the accident site. The accident victims were stabilized and packaged near the crashed vehicle then one at a time placed in a rescue basket to be lifted and swung up to I-5 for awaiting ground ambulances and helicopters," officials said.

Two patients were taken by ground ambulance to St. Johns Medical Center in Longview, while the two other patients were taken by Life Flight helicopters to Peace Health Southwest in Vancouver.