Tag: rollover

A $300,000 water tender from the Sierra Volunteer Fire Department in New Mexico was totaled when it rolled over Thursday while responding to a grass fire. According to state police, the 27-year old operator of the rig, Adam Chrisman, was given a citation for careless driving. He suffered a head injury and was taken to a hospital as a precaution.

Here is a video report on the accident, from KOB.com:

Just in the last nine months, Wildfire Today has reported on five other fire apparatus rollovers that occurred while firefighters were responding to wildfires, here, here, here, and here.

There have been two fire truck rollovers recently in which the firefighters were seriously injured while responding to vegetation fires. The photo above shows an engine from the West End Fire Department in North Carolina on Tuesday. Here is an excerpt from The News Herald:

Morganton – A West End firefighter was injured Tuesdaywhen his engine overturned while responding to a fire call.

Donald Hughes, 42, of 5298 Hayes Water Road, Morganton was airlifted to Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, according to Trooper Aaron Johnson, with the N.C. State Highway Patrol. Hughes’ condition was unknown at press time.

Johnson said Hughes was traveling south on Dysartsville Road in a 2000 International Fire Truck, on his way to a fire call on Gold Mine Road, when he lost control of his fire truck.

While rounding a turn on Dysartsville, the fire truck ran off the right side of the road, Johnson said. He attempted to correct the path and pulled the vehicle back on the road.

The vehicle again went off the right side of the road, striking several bushes, mailboxes and trees before flipping, Johnson said. Highway patrol was notified at 2:34 p.m.

Hughes suffered fractures to his legs and several broken ribs, the trooper said. There also were concerns of internal bleeding.

Burke County EMS took Hughes to Grace Hospital, and then he was airlifted to Charlotte.

Johnson said speed was not likely an issue as most fire engines don’t typically travel very fast.

It is often difficult for fire trucks to drive on country roads that are narrow and curvy, Johnson said, especially because of their size. He added that water can shift in the fire engine, which makes it difficult to regain control.

The fire truck was totaled, Johnson said, with damages easily topping $300,000.

The second rollover happened near Beaumont, Mississippi on Friday. From the Laurel Leader-Call:

LAUREL — Two Perry County volunteer firefighters were injured after a tanker truck they were riding in wrecked on a county road in Beaumont Friday evening.

Beaumont Police Chief Wayne Penton said firefighters Kent Lott and Milton Paskey of the Arlington Volunteer Fire Department were responding to a fire on River Loop Road in Beaumont when the accident occurred at about 5 p.m. The ages of the firefighters were not available.

“The Beaumont Fire Department was already at the scene of the fire battling the blaze,” said Penton. “They were en route in a tanker truck to haul water to the fire.

“There are no fire hoses in areas outside the city limits and they have to rely on tankers to bring the water in to these areas,” explained Penton. “They were en route on a small country road and came into a curve when they met another vehicle.”

Penton said it appeared that the tanker went over too far as it tried to avoid hitting the vehicle and flipped over one time.

“It landed on its top,” said the chief. “They had to use the jaws of life and everything else to get them out of the truck.”

Penton said Lott is in critical condition, while Paskey is listed as serious. The injuries were not considered to be life-threatening.

A facilitated learning analysis has been released on an engine rollover that occurred in September on the Bald Angel prescribed fire on the Wallowa Whitman National Forest near La Grande, Oregon. The entire report is HERE, but below is an excerpt from the executive summary:

The assigned resources set out that morning to the slop over to find a fairly active flank that required attention from two engines. The two engines began securing the perimeter of the slop over with saw line, hand line, and a hose lay. The first engine that was serving as a pumping platform ran out of water and was replaced by the second engine. The first engine then proceeded to the Balm Creek Reservoir to scout access to a fill-site. The Balm Creek Reservoir had not been used or scouted since earlier in the fire season. The first fire engine arrived at the reservoir and found difficult access to the water’s edge due to late season drawdown. The engine slowly drove the bank looking for accessibility to the water’s edge when the engine became stuck in a soft spot. The engine operator worked on trying to regain traction by attempting to engage the engine into four wheel drive, and digging trenches behind the front tires. When in reverse, the engine suddenly regained traction, jolted back and to the left resulting in the rear wheels sliding towards the reservoir. The engine rolled over into the reservoir in approximately four feet of water coming to rest on its passenger side and roof. The driver escaped through the driver’s side window after the cab filled with water.

The driver suffered a few bumps and bruises and was transported to the Grande Ronde hospital in La Grande, OR by agency personnel. The driver is currently back to work and is expected to make a full recovery.

FirefighterCloseCalls is reporting that:

Firefighters Nathan Jackson and Francis Cardinal were killed in the Line of Duty when their vehicle rolled over returning from a fire near Conklin, Alberta, CN

We were able to find some articles about a July 21 rollover that fit that description, but were unable to verify that it was a line of duty accident. Here are obituaries for Mr. Jackson and Mr. Cardinal who both passed away on July 21.

Our condolences to the families and co-workers.

UPDATE on August 12, 2010:

We received more details about this accident from the Canadian government through the International Association of Wildland Fire:

Firefighter’s Name: Francis Cardinal

Rank or Position: Type II Firefighter.

Age: DOB 1982-07-11 (28)

Gender: Male

Status: Contract Type II firefighter

Years of Service: experience 16 seasons

Date of Incident: July 21, 2010

Time of Incident: Approximately 20:30 hours

Date of Death: July 21, 2010

Firefighter’s Name: Nathan Jackson

Rank or Position: Type I Firefighter.

Age: DOB 1987-04-13 (23)

Gender: Male

Status: Seasonal Contract Type I firefighter

Years of Service: experience 1 1/2 seasons

Date of Incident: July 21, 2010

Time of Incident: Approximately 20:30 hours

Date of Death: July 21, 2010

Name of the Firefighters Fire Department: BLMS Wildland fire fighters Ltd.; Caslan , Alberta

Incident Description: The BLMS Wildland Fire Fighters Ltd. was on contract to the Department of Sustainable Resource Development and based out of Liesmer Fire Base in the Lac La Biche Area to work on wildfires.

On July 21st. the Crew had driven out from Liesmer Fire Base in two crew vehicles, along with another crew in separate vehicles that afternoon to take suppressive action on a wildfire. Later that day, the crews were returning to Liesmer Fire Base travelling West bound on a secondary gravel road. At approximately 3 kilometers west of Conklin Corners, they approched a west bound vehicle travelling in the west bound lane. The first vehicle being operated by BLMS Wildland fire fighters Ltd. entered the east bound lane of the secondary road and increased his speed and sucessfully passed the west bound vehicle.

The second vehicle operated by BLMS Wildland fire fighters Ltd. Attempted to follow the first and entered the east bound lane of the secondary road, and increased speed, and sucsesfully passed the west bound vehicle. It then attempted to re-enter the west bound lane at which time the driver lost control of the vehicle, it started to fish-tail, and then vehicle rolled, several times. The three occupants in the vehicle were ejected from the vehicle. The vehicle came to rest in the middle section of the road on it’s wheels, with the front of the vehicle facing in a northerly direction.