Fire Truck Overturns Responding to LA Fire

Los Angeles Fire Department officials said two firefighters suffered minor injuries on Tuesday, May 19, after their apparatus was involved in a crash while responding to a structure fire in Sunland. The fire engine overturned and came to rest on its side near Foothill Boulevard, according to LAFD and local television reports. Both firefighters were taken to a local hospital for evaluation, the department said. No members of the public were injured, according to LAFD. The crash drew attention because it happened during an emergency response, with video aired by local stations showing the engine swerving and rolling before stopping against a commercial building. The Los Angeles Police Department is investigating what caused the collision, LAFD said. The department said it was withholding the firefighters’ identities pending family notification. ### Where and when did the crash happen? Sunland, a neighborhood in the northeastern San Fernando Valley, was the site of the crash at about 6:45 p.m. to 7 p.m. on May 19, according to ABC7, NBC Los Angeles and the fire department. ABC7 reported the location as 10500 North McVine Avenue, just south of Foothill Boulevard. NBC Los Angeles said the engine overturned in the 8200 block of Foothill Boulevard. Video from the scene showed the fire engine on its side in front of an H&R Block office. ABC7 reported that the truck appeared to end up partially on top of a car, while NBC Los Angeles said it struck at least two parked vehicles before stopping. ### What did LAFD say about the firefighters’ injuries? The Los Angeles Fire Department said on May 19 that two firefighters sustained minor injuries when their apparatus was involved in a vehicle accident while responding to a structure fire. Both were transported to a local hospital and were being evaluated by medical personnel, according to the department. LAFD also said no members of the public were injured in the accident. The department did not identify the injured firefighters and asked the media and public to respect their privacy while their families were notified. ### What do the videos show about the crash? ABC7 and NBC Los Angeles both described footage showing the engine leaning and then losing control before overturning. NBC Los Angeles said the truck swerved toward a business and rolled onto its side in front of the building. ABC7 said another video showed a first responder being wheeled away on a stretcher after the collision. Employees at a nearby Panda Express told ABC7 they had to evacuate. ABC7 also reported that several businesses along that stretch of Foothill Boulevard closed early as cleanup and the investigation continued into the evening. ### What was the fire engine responding to? LAFD said the apparatus was responding to a structure fire when the crash happened. The department’s public statement did not provide the address of that fire or details about the blaze itself. That leaves the crash, rather than the fire response, as the focus of the official information released so far. Local reports likewise centered on the rollover, the injuries and the road disruption in Sunland. ### Who is investigating what caused it? The Los Angeles Police Department is investigating the accident, LAFD said in its statement. Local reports said the cause was not immediately clear. By Wednesday, May 20, television coverage was still describing the circumstances as under investigation. LAFD said it would provide further updates as additional information becomes available.