6 injured after Detroit fire rig collides with SUV while responding to call
6 people injured in crash involving Detroit fire rig and passenger car
Detroit firefighters were responding to a blaze when the rig they were traveling in collided with a passenger car early Wednesday morning. The crash sent six people including four firefighters to the hospital. All involved are expected to be okay.
DETROIT (FOX 2) - The six people involved in a crash between a Detroit fire rig and a passenger vehicle are expected to recover, following trips to the hospital.
Four firefighters and two other civilians were injured after the collision, which happened while firefighters were responding to a blaze on the city's east side Wednesday morning. For the department's community relations chief, all parties are lucky the injuries weren't more severe.
"If you are looking at the damage at the truck and the car, it could have been a lot worse," said Chief James Harris.
The crash between the rig and SUV happened on Houston-Whittier and Dickerson while firefighters were en-route to a fire on Riad around 8 a.m.
The resident said he lost everything in the fire.
"It's so hard to even respond to all that, they trying to help me at the same time they hurt themselves," said Derrick Mosby. "It's hard to say - I lost everything."
It's unclear how the crash happened, but DFD confirmed the rig's lights and sirens were on at the time.
When the two crashed, the fire rig ended up in the yard of a nearby home. Tire tracks from the rig went deep into the yard, giving a sign of the chaos that unfolded.
The SUV sustained serious front-end damage that required emergency crews using the Jaws of Life tool to help the occupants out of the vehicle. They were last reported in serious condition, but are expected to be okay.
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All four firefighters were taken to the hospital as a precaution. The crew members in the back were expected to be back at work later Wednesday. The firefighters in the front will remain at the hospital to get cat scans and MRIs.
The crash is a reminder to yield to all fire trucks, Harris said.
"We just want the citizens to know that we are always there for them, always in rescue mode, always want to save them but we want them to know when they see that fire truck - pull over to the right," he said.
Detroit police have taken over the investigation.