Oceanside man honored for rescuing truck driver in Elmont

Town of Hempstead Building Code Enforcement Officer Roy Gunther, of Oceanside, was presented with a Distinguished Service pin on Sept. 20 for rescuing a truck driver in Elmont, when his truck overturned on Lincoln Street.

Gunther, who is also an Island Park volunteer firefighter, was inspecting a house explosion in Elmont on Sept. 9 and the driver of the truck, a contractor from a demolition company, was working to clean up debris from the explosion, which was filling in the foundation and leveling the property. At 1:10 p.m., the truck tipped over — due to improper loading by workers, according to the Nassau County's 5th Precinct.

According to the town, when Gunther saw that the truck was leaking fuel and that the driver was trapped, he broke the windshield and pulled the driver out, keeping him immobilized until an ambulance arrived.

The driver was transported to Winthrop Hospital in Mineola by a Nassau County police ambulance for minor back and leg injuries. The Nassau County Police and Elmont Fire departments both responded to the accident.

The Nassau County Fire Marshal Hazardous Materials team responded to control and clean up a diesel fuel spill from a saddle tank on the truck, which ruptured and spilled several gallons onto the road way. As the truck flipped over, it fell onto various Long Island Power Authority electrical and Verizon phone wires, ripping them from utility poles and homes. LIPA is currently working to repair the lines.

Lincoln Street was closed for several hours between Atherton Avenue to Estelle Avenue by police until the fuel spill, wires and truck were all removed from the area.

Read about the Elmont house explosion here: http://www.liherald.com/elmont/elmont/stories/House-explodes-in-Elmont,35332