FORESTVILLE, Md. — Two people are in critical condition after a multi-vehicle crash on I-495 southbound in Forestville on Monday morning. One of them is a child.
Officers with the Prince George's County Fire Department responded just before 11 a.m. to the outer loop of I-495 SB near Maryland Route 4 for the crash. Once there, they found fire showing from an overturned dump truck.
Authorities say four people were taken to area hospitals for treatment, including the two who had critical injuries.
The initial investigation shows that the dump truck was traveling north on I-495 when it blew a tire. The dump truck then traveled into the southbound lanes where it overturned and caught fire. At the same time, an SUV traveling south on I-495 tried to avoid the dump truck and overturned.
In the dump truck was the driver and a child. They both suffered critical injuries and were taken to MedStar Washington Hospital Center.
Video obtained by WUSA9 appears to show a man helping a child away from the burning wreck. In the SUV, an adult passenger was injured and taken to MedStar Washington as well, and a child in the SUV was taken to Children’s National Hospital.
In the video captured by witnesses, John Adonteng Boateng is seen carrying and comforting the boy after the child escaped the debris and flames. The good Samaritan serves as a bishop at Divine Word International Ministries in Woodbridge.
"The mother was burning and screaming. So I comforted him, told him you'll be fine you will not die. You'll be fine. He said will I die? I said you will not die," Adonteng Boateng told WUSA9.
Adonteng Boateng said the boy's legs were severely burned but the mother was in worse condition.
"He said 'I want mommy,' I said 'Mommy will be okay.' So I took him, there were explosions. I wanted to save him from the explosions that were coming," he added.
The bishop says he prays to be a vessel to help people every day and he thinks his response to the crash was a mission served.
"I say Hallelujah that even though it was a tragedy, my warmth and my care might help that child that might be traumatized for the rest of his life for what he went through," Adonteng Boateng said.
Authorities originally said a total of six people were injured in this crash, but later clarified four were taken to area hospitals.
Two lanes on each side of I-495 are open. Inner loop delays included around 4 miles of backup, and the outer loop had 7.5 miles of backup.
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