FEDERAL WAY, Wash. — Three people were checked out for non-life-threatening injuries when a driver rammed into a firetruck responding to a rollover crash.
Around 6:43 a.m. on Sunday, crews responded to a single-vehicle DUI rollover on I-5 in Federal Way, according to Washington State Patrol.
The on-duty Battalion Chief was first to arrive and located one person who was ejected from the vehicle. They reported head and neck pain.
The Engine 361 truck arrived shortly after to block traffic and keep those on scene safe.
Around 7 a.m., while firefighters were working to care for the patient and secure the scene, Engine 361 was t-boned by a speeding vehicle.
The engine operator was inside the cab at the time. His seatbelt was fastened and he was taken to a nearby hospital for non-life-threatening injuries.
According to WSP Trooper Rick Johnson, the driver claimed they had fallen asleep at the wheel.
The driver who crashed into the truck was also taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
The driver ejected in the rollover was also taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
“Operating on high-speed roadways remains one of the most dangerous environments for firefighters. Every response includes strict safety measures such as strategic apparatus placement, use of high-visibility gear, and coordination with law enforcement partners to protect both first responders and the public. Incidents like this reinforce why those practices are critical and why they are followed every time our firefighters respond to freeway emergencies. Drivers play a vital role in keeping first responders safe by slowing down, paying attention, and moving over when approaching emergency scenes,” South County Fire wrote in a press release.