Two Women Sent to Hospital from Lincoln and 28

HYANNIS- At 4:25pm today during the Friday rush hour, Barnstable Police responded to a report of a two car accident with personal injury at Route 28 and Lincoln Road.  Officials were also alerted to the possibility of one of the vehicles emitting smoke. 

Hyannis Firefighters and rescue quickly responded and eliminated potential fire hazards in and around both vehicles.  The “smoke” that was observed was not actually smoke at all, but likely dust from the deployment of airbags in both vehicles, according to Lieutenant Kenney of the Hyannis Fire Department.  Apparently airbags are packed in powder or cornstarch to prevent rot.  When the powdery substance and the sodium azide used to cause the explosive ignition mix together during airbag deployment, witnesses often confuse the dusty discharge for actual smoke.  

An elderly woman was treated at the scene and transported to Cape Cod Hospital after being secured on a stretcher.  The other woman did not need to be placed on a stretcher.  Both patients are reported to have serious, but non-life threatening injuries. 

Traffic was reduced to one lane of intermittent travel and caused delays and backups in both directions.  Both vehicles needed to be removed from the intersection by duty wreckers.