Thursday, April 2, 2009

Update on Houston Fire Apparatus Collision

Fire Trucks Collide In Houston

Update: From Fire Geezer

TWO HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT TRUCKS, ONE PUMPER AND AN AERIAL, had a violent collision at approx. 11 am Central time.  The crash injured nine firefighters and a passing bicyclist.

The crash rolled the ladder truck onto its side, crushing an occupied auto.  The driver of the car miraculously appeared to only have slight injuries.  Two of the firefighters suffered serious injuries.  One of them was apparently thrown out of the pumper.

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KHOU-TV

The crash happened at an intersection where both vehicles met while responding to the same alarm that was transmitted as an apartment fire.  District Fire Chief Tommy Dowdy said that it appears at first that the pumper ran into the side of the aerial and that both trucks suffered significant damages.  The resulting collision took down a power pole cutting electric service to the surrounding neighborhood.

This raw video is from KHOU via CNN and has no sound:

Update:
The apparatus were Engine 7 and Ladder 16 and the accident occurred just a couple of blocks from Station 16.

The Houston Chronicle is reporting that there are no skid marks at the scene.  The engine is one year old, purchase price $400,000, and the truck is only 6 months old, purchased for $800,000.

The driver of the auto, a 48-yr.-old woman, is expected to be released from the hospital later today.

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The driver and officer in the Engine 7 were the two FF’s that were most seriously injured.  Their status has not been made public yet.  The civilian on the bicycle, also a woman, was pinned in the wreckage and is in critical condition.  Unconfirmed reports say that she may have perished.

The Houston Chronicle has more video HERE.

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Video:  I Just Saw This on CNN.com: Fire trucks collide

http://www.cnn.com/video/data/2.0/v...

Police are on the scene of an accident between two fire trucks in Houston.

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