CHERRY HILL, N.J. — This week, first responders were able to save two horses from a crash on the New Jersey Turnpike. SNN has been informed that one of those horses had to be euthanized in the aftermath.
Sources say the crash was due to a reckless driver who caused the crash.
Emergency crews responded to a multi-vehicle accident involving a utility van and a truck towing a horse trailer on the New Jersey Turnpike early Wednesday. The crash, which occurred in the southbound lanes near mile marker 26, left no human injuries, but one of the horses in the trailer sustained injuries and became trapped inside.
According to the Cherry Hill Fire Department, the rear door and ramp of the trailer were significantly damaged in the collision, preventing the horses from being safely removed. Additionally, the trailer was disabled, complicating the rescue efforts.
Firefighters from Squad Co. 13 worked alongside New Jersey State Police and the horse owners to devise a plan for the rescue. The southbound lanes were temporarily shut down to allow the safe extrication of the horses. Crews used specialized tools to remove the damaged doors, ramp, and a partition within the trailer.
The horses were successfully removed from the trailer and transferred for further medical care, officials said. There was no further information available regarding the condition of the injured horse.