Six firefighters from Southern California are still hospitalized following a severe accident in which their fire truck rolled over on a highway. The firefighters were returning from a 12-hour shift fighting the Airport Fire, one of three large wildfires ravaging the region. The crash, which involved eight crew members in total, occurred on California State Route 241 near Portola Hills on Thursday evening. Officials say the accident was caused by a ladder that had fallen onto the road, forcing the truck to swerve, hit a guardrail, and flip over.
Orange County Fire Authority Chief Brian Fennessy spoke about the incident, describing it as a “huge tragedy” for their firefighting family. He noted that the work these firefighters were doing is some of the toughest in the field, emphasizing the physical and emotional toll such assignments take on the crews. Of the eight injured firefighters, two were released from the hospital on Thursday night in stable condition. However, the remaining six are still being treated, with some expected to face long recoveries due to the severity of their injuries.
Dr. Humberto Sauri, the medical director of trauma services at Orange County Global Hospital, provided further insight into the condition of two of the firefighters under his care. One is in critical but stable condition, while the other is in a more severe state described as “quite critical.” Due to privacy laws, officials are not disclosing detailed information about the injuries sustained by the firefighters, though it is clear that several will require extended hospital stays.
The accident is currently under investigation by the California Highway Patrol, led by Lt. Hope Maxson. Initial reports suggest that the firefighters were traveling home after a grueling day battling the Airport Fire, which was 51% contained by Friday morning, according to Cal Fire. Hand crews from Ventura and Santa Barbara counties were quickly dispatched to relieve the injured team and continue fighting the blaze.
In the aftermath of the crash, all members of the firefighting crew involved in the incident are participating in formal critical incident stress debriefings. Chief Fennessy emphasized the emotional weight of the situation for all the firefighters, noting the trauma experienced by those who witnessed their colleagues’ injuries on the freeway. He underscored the strong bond shared among the firefighting community, as they rally to support one another during this difficult time.
At least one of the injured firefighters had to be airlifted by helicopter, while others were transported by ambulance to nearby hospitals. The rollover adds another layer of tragedy to an already dangerous firefighting effort, as Southern California crews continue to combat multiple massive wildfires in the region.
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