LEWISTON — A Wales accident on Route 126 that town’s fire chief called the worst case of entrapment he’s ever seen injured three people early Sunday morning.

One of those who suffered life-threatening injuries was flown by a LifeFlight helicopter to a hospital from the scene, Chief Anthony Siderio Sr. said Monday.

The single-car crash was called in shortly before 1 a.m. on Sunday. The car rolled over several times before coming to rest on its roof, Siderio said.

Rescue crews stabilized the small sedan using air bags and struts because it was near the bottom of an embankment, he said.

It took workers from three Fire Departments nearly an hour to free those trapped inside by using three different extrication tools, including the jaws of life, a large hydraulic device used to pry apart metal vehicle parts, Siderio said. The car was so heavily damaged, it required a “very technical extrication,” he said.

Route 126, also called Gardiner Road, was closed to all traffic for about four hours while Maine State Police reconstruction crews were on scene, Siderio said.

“In my 33 years of service with the department, this is the worst accident for extrication that I’ve ever seen,” Siderior said. “I’ve seen some pretty nasty accidents, but this has got to be, probably, number one on my list.”

— The Sun Journal is attempting to update this story