Minutes after the Tragedy: First Responders Recount Their Experience at the Scene of Trakia Motorway Crash

Two emergency medical teams from Yambol were dispatched immediately after the first report of the serious crash on Trakia Motorway. Additional teams from the region and neighbouring areas were subsequently mobilised. Access to the injured was extremely difficult, and the assistance of other emergency services and people at the scene was required to evacuate them Dr Atanas Parushev, head of the Yambol branch of the Emergency Medical Assistance Centre, said during an interview on the BNT's 'The Day Begins' programme on November 12.

Despite the rapid mobilisation of the available teams, it became clear that the scale of the incident exceeded the capacity of the Yambol Emergency Medical Assistance Centre. Assistance was therefore sought from neighbouring centres and hospital services.

“As far as coordination is concerned, I can say that it was absolutely in place. The colleagues at the scene carried out rapid patient triage as well as a medical assessment of the situation. It became clear that the Yambol Emergency Medical Assistance Centre would not be able to cope using its own personnel and resources. In such cases, assistance is usually sought from neighbouring centres. The emergency medical assistance centres in Sliven and Burgas were notified through the 112 emergency number and personal contacts.”

One of the most serious challenges facing the rescue teams was gaining access to the injured.

“Access was extremely difficult. We had to cover at least 200 metres to reach the heart of the incident. The patients had to be carried out on rigid stretchers. This was simply not possible using our own personnel and resources alone. Some of the injured actively helped with the operation, for which we are grateful. The emergency and rescue services were also on hand to assist us. Without them, it would have been difficult to manage.”

Dr Parushev expressed his gratitude to all the medical teams and emergency services involved in the rescue operation.