DETROIT – A Detroit fire engine on a run through an intersection, hitting a truck and smashing into a store sign, was captured on video.
The incident, which occurred on Saturday (May 11) at the intersection of Puritan Avenue and Schaefer Highway, is just one of many instances involving fire vehicles that have been reported.
Officials said the crash was so severe the rig airbags went off, but no patient was in the ambulance when it flipped.
Local 4 was told that no medics or the other driver were injured.
But we’re told that Detroit fire engine operators have been hitting parked cars, causing damage to firehouse doors incredibly rapidly, including Tuesday morning while looking into the numbers.
The driver of Tuesday’s engine crash backed into a woman’s car in a parking lot on Woodward Avenue.
Sources say it is the seventh in the past eight days and the 51st in 2024. In nine of those incidents, someone had to go to the hospital.
“Any time we have accidents, I am always concerned,” said Detroit Fire Department Commissioner Chuck Simms. “I’m always thinking of ways that we can reduce those accidents.”
Most accidents are minor according to DFD as they say there’s 1% of accidents compared to 160,000 emergency fire runs a year.
“It’s still a concern,” Simms said. “I wish the number was zero.”
Crystal Perkins who is the Director Detroit Public Services says accidents hit her desk so she has to deal with slow repairs which is frustrating as the citizens having to repair their vehicle when hit by a Detroit fire engine.
“It’s not just repairs as you have to wait for parts and so we see an issue there,” said Perkins.
Simms says re-training firefighters and the review of department driving policy is underway.
“I would like to tell the citizens of Detroit, if we’re responding to a fire or something like that to get over on your right as well,” Simms said.
