At 4:28 PM Tuesday April 12 the Burlington Fire Department was dispatched to Gulfport,
IL for a motor-vehicle accident with 2 trapped inside the vehicle. Firefighters arrived 3 minutes
later and found bystanders on scene with one vehicle on it’s top in a drainage ditch inside the
village of Gulfport. The drainage ditch was filled with water, submerging over half of the
vehicle. Firefighters entered the water to make access to the vehicle and found 1 victim and 1
dog inside of the submerged vehicle. Firefighters successfully removed the dog and continued to
work to gain access to the entrapped victim. At 4:46, firefighters removed the victim successfully
and initiated CPR.
Prior to departing the scene, the victim regained consciousness and patient care was transferred
to Medforce Aeromedical Transport. The victim’s name and final condition are not being
released at this time. The dog was left in the care of Henderson County’s Animal Control officer.
The family of the victim and the owners of the dog have been notified.
Eleven Burlington firefighters responded to the call including two off-duty fire officers that were
present at Central Station at the time of call. Medforce Aeromedical, Burlington Police,
Henderson County Sheriff’s, and Gladstone Fire Departments assisted with the response. No first
responders were injured.