Eight firefighters were injured, six seriously, when their Orange County Fire Authority truck overturned on State Route 241 near Irvine, California, Thursday evening, CBS News reports.
The incident occurred around 6:50 p.m. local time as the firefighters were returning home from a 12-hour shift battling the massive Airport Fire.
According to the California Highway Patrol, the fire truck and another vehicle ahead of it swerved to avoid a ladder that had fallen into the roadway. The truck then collided with a guardrail and overturned. No other vehicles were involved in the crash.
Initial reports indicated 12 firefighters were injured, but that number was later revised to eight. Six firefighters sustained “very serious” injuries, while two suffered minor injuries. One firefighter was airlifted to a hospital, while the other seven were transported to local medical centers by paramedics. Two of the patients were reported to be in stable condition.
The northbound lanes of the freeway were closed for five hours following the crash. The overturned truck displayed an “Orange County Fire Authority Santiago Hand Crew” decal.
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