At least five people suffered injuries after an errant tractor trailer tore through a main Tamaqua thoroughfare Wednesday.

One person was airlifted from the wreck, which caused damage along a swath one-half mile long.Emergency responders were stretched thin when summoned at 2:40 p.m. to two locations along Route 309 in Tamaqua where multiple cars had been impacted by a white rig.According to police, the 1999 Kenworth tractor trailer entered town from the north and "struck numerous vehicles" as it rambled southbound at North Railroad and Elm streetsThe truck then continued southbound through the Five Points intersection and struck a line of vehicles in the left turn lane at Center and Cedar streets."He just came barreling down," said victim Cindy Hutta of Coaldale, visibly shaken after her 2012 BMW was rear-ended in the collision. Hers was the first vehicle to be struck by the truck. Hutta's husband came to her aid and the extent of Hutta's injuries was unclear.During the commotion, resident Chris Lopresto walked out of his house on N. Railroad Street and noticed his car missing.The car, a 1993 Dodge Shadow, had been parked in front of his residence.Lopresto found his vehicle several doors away, heavily damaged. It had been pushed onto the sidewalk and into the front of a house at 403 Railroad St., owned by Roger and Mary Brode.At that house, a few bales of decorative hay and some snow banks piled nearby prevented the Lopresto car from being pushed through the wall and into the living room.According to police, the truck continued south and struck another vehicle two times.That car, a Honda Pilot, was being driven by Mark Zimmerman of Lansford, with Cynthia Zimmerman a passenger."The first time, it was hit in the 300 block of N. Railroad St. and the second time in the 100 block of N. Railroad," states the police report.The truck continued south, police said, and struck a Dodge 3500 pickup truck driven by Kirk Oldt of Tamaqua.Police said the left side of the truck struck the passenger side of Oldt's pickup. Oldt was able to continue driving, police said, and followed the truck southbound.According to police, as the truck approached the Five Points intersection, it entered the "left turn only" lane and went through the red light, continuing south. At that point, Railroad Street becomes Center Street.The truck continued south on Center Street and slammed into the rear of a Suzuki Grand Vitara driven by Kathleen Winn of Tamaqua, according to police.That impact disabled the truck but caused a chain reaction.The front of Winn's vehicle struck the rear of a Ford Ranger pickup driven by James Murphy of Tamaqua, which in turn struck the rear of a Buick Rendevous driven by Judi Olesh of Coaldale.There, one of the injured was taken by ambulance to a helipad at the Tamaqua Area School District and airlifted to St. Luke's Hospital in Fountain Hill. Tamaqua police officer Karl Harig later identified that person as Winn.Police said Mark and Cynthia Zimmerman drove themselves to St. Luke's Hospital, Miners Campus, Coaldale, for neck pain. Driver Judi Olesh complained of back pain and drove herself to the Coaldale hospital, as well.The truck driver, Levi Horst of New Holland, was transported by ambulance to the hospital for a head injury.Police said Horst appeared to be confused."He seemed not to know what happened," noted Harig, investigating officer.Police suspect Harig suffered some kind of medical emergency while driving.There was glass and debris strewn about the accident scene along with spilled fuel or oil at the Center Street site.Assisting were Tamaqua units including the East End Fire Co., Rescue Squad, EMS, fire police and ambulance along with the Carbon County Sheriff's Department, and Medic 5621 Carbon County EMS.Emergency responders were on scene throughout the afternoon.Hope's Collision and Towing of Tamaqua and Zeigler's Auto Repair & Towing of Hometown responded with tow trucks and flatbeds.Police said the investigation is continuing.An inspection of the tractor trailer will be completed by members of the state police within the next few days.