Chief: Chelsea Dispatch Erred in Accident on Mystic/Tobin

The failure of Chelsea Fire apparatus to be dispatched to a serious motor vehicle accident with an ejection on the southbound Mystic/Tobin Bridge Sunday is being blamed on a dispatch error.

The accident occurred in the southbound lane on the Tobin further into Charlestown on Sunday, and one of the occupants was ejected from the vehicle in a serious accident.

Typically, as the long-standing agreement goes, on any Tobin emergency, Boston crews head northbound, and Chelsea crews head southbound due to the easier access for each community in those directions. That is the case even when the emergency is further back on the bridge in Chelsea or Charlestown.

However, during the ejection accident on Sunday, Chelsea crews did not make it there, and some postulated that it was because Boston hadn’t notified Chelsea.

Not so, said Chief Len Albanese.

“This isn’t a Boston Fire issue,” he said. “On this call it was a Chelsea Dispatch error. Boston did notify our dispatch and they had the information but did not send it out. This can’t happen. We have to do a further investigation as well, but this was a Chelsea Dispatch error that we are working to correct.”

Chief Albanese said they have spoken with the 9-1-1 Director about the issue, and the chief wants to re-open the policy regarding the Tobin to make sure everyone is aware that Chelsea goes southbound on all accidents.

“We are going to update the policy immediately and work on the specifics of it,” he said.

The crash happened on Sunday morning on the Cana Ramp with two cars and was listed as very serious due to the fact one person was ejected. The ramp was closed for some time.

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