Car falls 20 feet down Route 78 embankment in Newark, NJ

NEWARK — Newark firefighters rescued a driver whose car went 20 feet down an embankment over local Route 78 West on Tuesday morning.

The car had been traveling on a ramp from Routes 1&9.

Using rope and other heavier equipment, firefighters took about an hour to free the man trapped inside his white car.

The crash left the truck laying on its side on the ramp, according to Newark police.

The driver of the car suffered severe head trauma with multiple cuts to his body and was transported to University Hospital, according to Newark police, who did not disclose the condition of the truck driver.

"I commend the Newark Firefighters for their selfless bravery and diligence in rescuing this victim. Had it not been for their tireless efforts to extricate the victim, this incident could have resulted in a tragedy," Public Safety Director Brian O’Hara said in a written statement. "Our firefighters exemplified the high level of professionalism in the finest tradition of the Newark Fire Division."

Both the ramp and the westbound local lanes of Route 78 were closed during the rescue and investigation.

State Police on Wednesday morning did not respond to New Jersey 101.5's request for more information about the crash and the condition of the drivers.

Last week, an ice cream truck owned by Lexylicious that is hired for events fell 20 feet down a cliff heading to the Ross Dock picnic area along the Palisades Interstate Parkway in Fort Lee on Thursday.

Contact reporter Dan Alexander at Dan.Alexander@townsquaremedia.com or via Twitter @DanAlexanderNJ