02/23/2026
At about 2:45 am on February 21st, Linville Volunteer Fire Department, Avery County EMS, and Linville-Central Rescue Squad were dispatched to a vehicle over the embankment on NC Hwy 105. A passenger was able to self-extricate and call 911. He then climbed to the top of the bank to flag down responders.
Upon arrival, Linville Engine 6301 found the pickup had flipped and landed on its top about 30 feet below road level. A tree had fallen on top of the truck, and one person remained entrapped in the cab. Due to the extensive nature of the extrication and the potential presence of oxygen and propane on the truck, the incident commander requested further assistance from Banner Elk Volunteer Fire & Rescue, Crossnore Volunteer Fire Department, Newland Volunteer Fire Department, Avery County Fire Marshal, and Avery County Emergency Management. Highway 105 was shut down to ensure the safety of responders and motorists.
With a tree on top of the truck and a large boulder underneath, traditional extrication equipment was not accessible to the patient, so the crew improvised and began removing parts of the cab using a reciprocating saw. Meanwhile, a rigging crew set up a two-line system to aid in lowering a litter and providing a rappel line for responders delivering equipment to the extrication crew. A 24-foot extension ladder was also placed down the bank to assist in the operation. The fire marshal and emergency management personnel monitored the scene for the possibility of hazardous materials release (diesel fuel, oxygen, and propane) throughout the extrication process.
Eventually, the patient was disentangled from the steering column, clutch pedal, and dashboard of the truck and was removed from the vehicle and placed in a litter, where he was then raised back up to the road by a haul system and transported to a nearby medical facility. The patient, who appeared to be properly restrained at the time of impact, received non-life-threatening injuries and is expected to make a full recovery.
South Ridge Towing used their large rotator to flip the truck back over and bring it up the bank so a final safety assessment could be completed, after which the highway was reopened and units cleared the scene.
We are very grateful to all those who assisted with this response, many of whom were volunteers who left their homes in the middle of the night to provide help. We would also like to take this opportunity to remind everyone to travel safely and always wear a seatbelt.
