MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Three firefighters went to the hospital Friday morning after a Memphis Fire Department truck answering an emergency call was caught in a three-vehicle wreck in East Memphis.
Police said the collision happened at the corner of South Highland Street and Southern Avenue shortly before 10:30 a.m.. Four firefighters were riding on the truck at the time. Fire officials said three of them were taken to a hospital in stable condition, and police said everyone hurt was expected to recover.
The impact shoved the fire truck into a street pole and crushed its front end. Fire officials said the truck looks to be a total loss. A driver in one of the other vehicles declined treatment at the scene.
Memphis Fire Department spokeswoman Qwanesha Ward said the crew was on its way to an emergency when the wreck happened. She said the cause is still unknown and that Memphis police officers are handling the crash investigation.
The wreck snarled traffic in the area for a stretch of the morning. Ward said nearby railroad tracks were closed and drivers were sent around the intersection while crews towed the damaged equipment and police finished their work at the scene.
Ward said the department felt fortunate the injuries were not worse and asked residents to keep the firefighters in mind as they heal.
Drivers stuck in the backup said they had seen wrecks near that corner before but never one involving a fire engine. One motorist said the scene was a reminder for everyone on the road to slow down, watch for others and pay closer attention behind the wheel, especially around emergency vehicles.
Section: More Memphis TN crime news
Filed under: Memphis TN Traffic News
