SANDERS COUNTY - Out of the S-Curves that narrow onto the Clark Fork River on Montana highway 200, a semi-truck and trailer carrying pallets of rock rolled over in the rain at 7 p.m. last night.

The initial dispatch call came in at 7:19 p.m., and luckily, Plains-Paradise Rural Fire District has been holding their annual extrication training meeting at the fire hall when they got the page. The crew was able to assemble, suit up, and go out to the scene in a record 17 minutes' time, according to Chief John Holland.

Fireman Pat Irving conducted the investigation for the fire district, and reported that the driver of the semi-truck was unharmed, and was the only person in the vehicle. When the fire district, Plains Ambulance and Big Horn QRU arrived on scene, the driver had already crawled out of the wrecked cab and was sitting on the side of the highway.

The teams did not conduct an extrication, nor did they need to extinguish any fires. They set up traffic control to assist MHP and SCSO, due to road blockage. 

Schober's Towing of St. Regis arrived on scene to haul the wrecked semi from the scene, which was finally uprighted and cleared out by 11:30 p.m. 

The rig itself was twisted, mangled, and jack-knifed on the side of the highway, with the cab completely crushed and caved in. The driver was back-boarded and transported to Clark Fork Valley Hospital.

Cause of the rollover has yet to be officially determined. 

"This was our first semi-truck rollover of the year," Pat Irving said. "It's been a pretty quiet year 'til now. He got really lucky."