IRVINE, CA – A serious traffic accident on the 241 toll road in Irvine left eight firefighters hospitalized on Thursday night, according to the California Highway Patrol (CHP). Six of the firefighters sustained critical injuries, while two others suffered minor injuries.
Circumstances leading to the accident involved a ladder that had been dropped on the toll road. In an effort to avoid hitting the object, the firefighters swerved their fire truck, leading to a collision with a guardrail that caused the truck to overturn.
These firefighters were part of the crews returning home from tackling the ongoing Airport Fire in Trabuco Canyon. The incident left their fire truck overturned and wreckage strewn across the toll road.
All the injured individuals, members of the Orange County Fire Authority Santiago Hand Crew, were transported to local trauma centers and hospitals for emergency care.
“We ask that you pray for our firefighters and their families,” implored fire chief Brian Fennessy of the Orange County Fire Authority. Fennessy further indicated that some of these firefighters had a long recovery ahead of them.
Authorities have currently shut down the 241’s northbound lanes as well as the northbound on-ramps on SR-133 at Irvine Boulevard for debris removal.