Rollover Sends Two to Hospital

City of Oroville firefighters carry one victim up an embankment in a stokes as they tend to the victims of a single vehicle rollover accident along Oro Dam Blvd Thursday, November 3, 2011 in Oroville, Calif. 

(Jason Halley/Chico Enterprise-Record)

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Accident Floods Street

I've seen a couple car accidents, but this accident really looked worse than it was. A driver of a mustang turned the corner of Hwy 32 and Forest Ave fishtailing out of control breaking a fire hydrant. The water flooded the street causing a slight traffic issue. If the driver had not hit the hydrant (which had recently been installed a couple months ago) the accident would have looked like something else. In car accidents, near misses and wrong place at the wrong time really make a big difference.

Cal Water foreman of new construction Rich Velasquez clears debris that clogged a gutter to clear the water that flooded the area after Erick Fuchs, 18, turned right onto Forest Avenue from Highway 32 and fishtailed about 4:32 p.m. Wednesday, October 15, 2011 in Chico, Calif., hitting a car then a fire hydrant, said Det. Mike Rodden of Chico police. Fuchs 1969 Mustang knocked the fire hydrant out of the ground, spurting water onto Forest Avenue and damaging the back end of the Mustang. Two other cars involved were damaged but no one reported injuries.

(Jason Halley/Chico Enterprise-Record)

Major Motorcycle Accident

Chico Police sergeant Billy Aldridge (left) walks the helmet back to the motorcycle as they investigate the scene of a motorcycle vs vehicle accident in front of Scrubbs Car Wash along the Skyway on Saturday, April 30, 2011 in Chico, Calif. A BMW pulled out of the parking lot into the path of a eastbound motorcycle causing a collision that sent the motorcyclist in the air hitting his head and sustaining major injuries around 12:45pm.

(Jason Halley/Chico Enterprise-Record)

Lucky To Be Alive

It always surprises me how people can survive such horrific accidents. The other day I responded to a vehicle rollover on the Midway which left the vehicle fully engulfed in fire. It was an accident that sounded as bad as it looked. Papers were all over the ground and the vehicle was completely burned up. I couldn't even imagine what the actually accident event would have looked like. I was sure there would be a major injury to the driver. But only minor injuries with scrapes, bruises and complaint of pain. I am amazed and glad that there aren't any serious injuries. From the accidents I get to see, they're lucky to be alive.

Cal Fire - Butte County volunteer firefighter Buzz Landon, hoses down a vehicle fire that broke out after a rollover along Midway near E. Nelson Rd.Thursday, February 3, 2011 in Chico, Calif. CHP reports a solo female driver, of Yuba City, was driving a Ford Bronco southbound on Midway when she veered off the road and overcorrected rolling the vehicle which burst into flames. She escaped with the help of witnesses with minor injuries, mostly cuts and scrapes with complaint of pain. Bowen was transported to Oroville Medical Center.

(Jason Halley/Chico Enterprise-Record)

Paperwork lies scattered on the road from the vehicle involved in a rollover along Midway near E. Nelson Rd.Thursday, February 3, 2011 in Chico, Calif. CHP reports a solo female driver, of Yuba City, was driving a Ford Bronco southbound on Midway when she veered off the road and overcorrected rolling the vehicle which burst into flames. She escaped with the help of witnesses with minor injuries, mostly cuts and scrapes with complaint of pain. Bowen was transported to Oroville Medical Center.

(Jason Halley/Chico Enterprise-Record)

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Water Works

If you're going to crash and knock over a fire hydrant to gush hundreds of gallons of water onto the street, be sure not to do it in front of the newspaper office. There was an accident the other day that occurred on a busy street in front of our offices. All three of us photographs as well as editors were out of scene seeing all the commotion ourselves. I snapped a shot for myself. But our photo editor, Bill Husa, was the first on scene, so I let him take the assignment. It is a pretty impressive sight to see water gushing out of a broken fire hydrant. Sometimes they can soar to above 40 ft in the air. This incident didn't have to big of a height, but did release a lot of water. Just a reminder that you can never predict what will happen in this job.

A fire hydrant pours water over a VW Bug involved in a two vehicle collision on E. Park Ave. Thursday May 27, 2010.  (Jason Halley/Chico Enterprise-Record)