A Washington, D.C., firefighter was left with “serious injuries” after being struck by a ladder truck on Thursday while responding to a structural fire.
The DC Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department said crews responded to a structural fire near Galveston Street SW around 1 p.m. on Thursday when the incident occurred.
“While on scene, a firefighter was struck by a ladder truck and sustained serious injuries,” DC FEMS said in a statement. “The firefighter received medical treatment and was transported to an area trauma center by helicopter. The firefighter is currently in stable condition.”
The agency said it and the Metropolitan Police Department were investigating the incident. MPD said the firefighter was an adult male who was conscious and breathing after being struck.
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A similar incident involving the department in 2017 led to updated guidelines for staging at the scene of fires. Rookie firefighter Dane Smothers Jr. suffered life-threatening injuries after jumping off his fire truck, getting hose lines and equipment ready to fight the fire, and getting hit by a ladder truck.
Following the incident, Smothers underwent 12 surgeries and is now legally blind in one eye with virtually no function of his left arm. Smothers sued the department following his life-altering incident, which prompted updated guidelines after a report found blind spots were a leading factor in the circumstances that caused his injuries.
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[ H/T Washington Examiner ]
