Fire Truck Overturns En Route to LA Fire

The Los Angeles Fire Department said two firefighters were injured on Tuesday, May 19, after a fire engine overturned while responding to a structure fire in Sunland. The crash happened at about 6:45 p.m. near 10500 North McVine Avenue, just south of Foothill Boulevard, according to LAFD and ABC7. Both firefighters were taken to a local hospital with minor injuries, and no members of the public were reported hurt. The department said the firefighters’ names were being withheld pending family notification, while the Los Angeles Police Department opened an investigation into what caused the crash. ### Where did the fire engine overturn? Sunland, a neighborhood in the northern part of Los Angeles, was the site of the crash, according to ABC7 and NBC Los Angeles. ABC7 reported the engine overturned at 10500 North McVine Avenue, while NBC Los Angeles placed the crash scene in the 8200 block of Foothill Boulevard; the two descriptions refer to the same commercial stretch near the intersection. Video from the scene showed the engine on its side in front of an H&R Block office. (lafd.org) Foothill Boulevard businesses near McVine and Oro Vista avenues were affected for hours as crews worked at the scene, ABC7 reported. Employees at a nearby Panda Express told the station they had to evacuate, and several businesses along the corridor closed early while cleanup continued. ### What do officials say happened before the crash? (abc7.com) LAFD said only that the apparatus was involved in a vehicle accident while responding to a structure fire. The department did not identify the fire address in its initial statement, and it did not say whether speed, braking, steering or road conditions played a role. (abc7.com) Video cited by ABC7 and NBC Los Angeles showed the engine leaning as it moved through an intersection before swerving, striking parked vehicles and overturning against the H&R Block building. NBC Los Angeles reported that the truck appeared to hit at least two parked vehicles, while ABC7 said two parked cars were damaged and a third was pinned under the engine. (lafd.org) ### How badly were the firefighters hurt? Two firefighters suffered minor injuries, LAFD said in its statement on May 19. The department said both were transported to a local hospital and were being evaluated by medical personnel. No other injuries were reported, according to LAFD, ABC7 and NBC Los Angeles. (abc7.com) LAFD said no members of the public were injured in the accident, even though the engine came to rest partly on a car and against a commercial building. ### What damage was reported at the scene? An H&R Block storefront and multiple parked vehicles were in the path of the engine when it overturned, according to video and local television reports. (lafd.org) ABC7 said the extent of damage to the building was not immediately clear. Aerial footage broadcast by ABC7 showed the fire engine resting on its side, partially on top of a car. (lafd.org) NBC Los Angeles reported the truck stopped partly on a sidewalk after the collision. ### Who is investigating and what comes next? The Los Angeles Police Department is investigating the accident, LAFD said. The fire department said it would provide further updates as additional information becomes available. (abc7.com) As of Wednesday, May 20, local reports said investigators were still working to determine what caused the crash. (abc7.com) LAFD said the identities of the injured firefighters would not be released until their families had been notified. (lafd.org)