Eight firefighters who had just completed a 12-hour shift at the “Airport Fire” were injured in a major rollover accident. Two of them have been discharged, while two others remain in the intensive care unit.
During a press conference on the morning of September 20th, Dr. Humberto Sauri, the director of trauma services at the Global Medical Center, stated, “Two firefighters are still in the intensive care unit, one in critical condition but stable, and the other firefighter remains in serious condition. We are utilizing all resources and making every effort to facilitate their recovery.”
On the evening of September 19th at 6:50 p.m., a fire truck on the 241 Freeway north of Portola Avenue in Orange County suddenly veered, crashed into the right guardrail, and flipped over to the left side (possibly multiple times). Debris and items were scattered around the red vehicle, with all eight firefighters being male.
At a press briefing on Thursday evening, Orange County Fire Chief Brian Fennessy solemnly remarked, “This is a challenging time. Seven minutes after the accident, the first fire crew arrived on the scene and immediately began treatment and triage of the patients. Subsequently, nine nursing teams, 12 ambulances, and three helicopters arrived. Seven of the injured were transported by ground ambulances to hospitals, while one was airlifted.”
The Airport Fire broke out on September 9th, spreading from Orange County to Riverside County, burning an area of 23,519 acres, causing the complete destruction of 160 buildings, damage to 34 others, and threatening 20,780 residences. Thirteen firefighters and two residents were known to be injured. As of the 20th, 51% of the fire area had been contained.
Following the accident, three firefighters were taken to Providence Mission Hospital, two to Orange County Global Medical Center, one to UCI Medical Center, and two to Hogue Hospital in Irvine. The two firefighters taken to Hogue Hospital were in stable condition and were discharged on the same night.
Fennessy stated, “The families of all the injured have been notified. We ask for your prayers for the firefighters and their families… this is the beginning of a long recovery journey.”
Fennessy expressed gratitude to the California Highway Patrol, medical personnel, Orange County Fire Authority, and the Complex Incident Management Team involved in the rescue efforts. He mentioned that all eight firefighters were part of a hand crew, entering remote and steep areas on foot where machinery could not access, using chainsaws to cut and clear flammable materials.
Lieutenant Hope Maxson of the California Highway Patrol commented, “The accident is under investigation, and we have dispatched trained investigators to ensure accurate documentation of the scene and to conduct a thorough investigation.”