Kyle Rauch, a Frenchtown firefighter from Alberton, is recovering from “traumatic injuries” he sustained while responding to a deadly crash involving five semi trucks in Mineral County on Wednesday, and is said to be in “good spirits.”
Frenchtown Rural Fire District spokesman Mel Holtz said Rauch slipped on black ice and fell 40 feet over a bridge deck on Interstate 90 near Superior, rolling down a steep embankment.
Rauch was taken to a hospital and underwent surgery for a badly broken leg. He is expected to be released in the coming days. He’s a volunteer resident firefighter/EMT who has been with the FRFD for a year.
“We have received an overwhelming response from the community and partner agencies across the state,” Fire Chief Joe Calnan said. “We are happy the surgery went well and Kyle is recovering. We can’t express enough how appreciative we are for the support Kyle, his family and Frenchtown Fire has received these past few days.”
A GoFundMe account has been set up for Kyle and his family.
Two truck drivers — Vilyam Veresko, 30, of Moses Lake, Washington, and Jatinderpal Singh, 32, of Delta, British Columbia — died in the crash, with other drivers sustaining serious injuries.
The crash closed the eastbound lanes of I-90 near Superior for 20 hours.
