Butler County Emergency Services reports 100 incidents in less than 4 hours
A Butler County Emergency Services dispatch representative said by the office received calls for about 100 incidents between 6 a.m. and 9:45 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 2, for crashes related to snowfall.
He said reports indicate the majority of crashes in Butler County, including on Interstate 79, have been minor with little to no injuries reported. He added there were no active road closures in the county as of 9:45 a.m.
Around 7:30 a.m., crews were dispatched to 1186 New Castle Road in Muddy Creek Township for a crash involving two passenger vehicles and a semi-truck. No injuries were reported, and crews found at least one vehicle had drifted into a guardrail, according to dispatch reports.
Where emergency crews faced struggles was when responding to crashes on windy passages and at the bottom of steep hills. At approximately 8:28 a.m., crews responded when a vehicle that had driven off a hillside in the area of 338 South Benbrook Road near Lions Road in Center Township.
In instances like this, the emergency crew that arrived first would go the scene and assess for injuries while another responding crew waited at the top of a hill, according to reports.
Once the first crew confirmed there were no injuries or traffic obstructions, the crews standing-by often had other incidents to respond to, according to reports.
The snowfall also caused Butler Memorial Hospital to temporarily close its Jefferson Street entrance around 7:55 a.m. and reopen after 9 a.m. when crews could remove snow. All traffic was restricted to the Brady Street entrance.
