Firetrucks collide heading to burning Pennsylvania house, 6 firefighters injured

Two firetrucks collided while responding to a burning house in northeastern Pennsylvania on Saturday, injuring six firefighters.

Firefighters were responding to a Luzerne County call just before 2:30 p.m. when “a Spartan rescue truck from Valley Regional Fire & Rescue and a Seagrave Marauder ladder truck from the Hazle Township Fire & Rescue” collided at an intersection along Hunter Highway, which is also known as Route 309, according to a press release from Butler Township Police Chief William J. Feissner. 

Feissner said two firefighters suffered “moderate injuries” and four others were slightly injured. One firefighter was taken to Geisinger Wyoming Valley and the others to Lehigh Valley Hospital-Hazleton.

Feissner said a preliminary investigation indicated the rescue truck entered the intersection on a red light and began to turn left, and the ladder truck had a green light “activated by traffic light pre-emption system on the ladder truck.” The ladder truck swerved but hit the rescue truck and then an embankment, leaving the driver of the ladder truck trapped for a short time, Feissner said. Both vehicles had lights and sirens on, he said.

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A rescue truck from Valley Regional Fire and Rescue collided with a ladder truck from Hazle Township on March 2, 2024. (Bob Kadluboski)

Butler Township Police are investigating the crash that shut down a portion of Hunter Highway for about four hours. 

“The outpouring of support to our company has been overwhelming,” Hazle Township Fire wrote on its Facebook page. “We thank you all for the continued prayers and well wishes for the quick recovery of all members involved.”

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Crews on the scene of the wreck that caused two firefighters to have “moderate injuries” and four more to be slightly injured. (Bob Kadluboski)

On Sunday, Valley Regional Fire asked for continued prayers while wishing all a speedy recovery in a Facebook post. 

A rescue truck from Valley Regional Fire and Rescue was one of the two vehicles involved in the crash while heading to a house fire. (Bob Kadluboski)

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The burning house both vehicles were heading to was destroyed by flames, but no injuries were reported, officials said. A woman told The Citizens’ Voice newspaper out of Wilkes-Barre that four people were home when a battery charger started sparking in the garage and exploded, adding that the family tried to put out the flames but were forced to evacuate.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.