A rollover crash on an Orange County freeway left eight firefighters hospitalized Thursday night.
The crash occurred in Irvine on the 241 toll road near SR-133 shortly before 7 p.m., according to the California Highway Patrol.
Authorities said a ladder dropped on the road forced the oncoming fire truck to swerve away from the object. The maneuver caused the vehicle to strike a guardrail and overturn.
Eight firefighters were inside the truck at the time. They were crews who were heading home after battling the ongoing Airport Fire in Trabuco Canyon.
The collision left six firefighters with critical injuries and two with minor injuries, CHP said. They were all transported to local trauma centers and hospitals for emergency treatment.
“We ask that you pray for our firefighters and their families,” said Brian Fennessy, fire chief of the Orange County Fire Authority. “All the families have been notified. This is the beginning of a long road for many of those firefighters and our fire departments.”
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Multiple patients were airlifted to the hospital after a Orange County Fire Authority truck crashed on the 241 Freeway on Sept. 19, 2024. (KTLA) -
Multiple patients were airlifted to the hospital after a Orange County Fire Authority truck crashed on the 241 Freeway on Sept. 19, 2024. (KTLA) -
The ladder on the roadway forced the driver to swerve and overturn a firefighter truck in Irvine September 19, 2024. (KTLA) -
Multiple patients were airlifted to the hospital after a Orange County Fire Authority truck crashed on the 241 Freeway on Sept. 19, 2024. (KTLA) -
Multiple patients were airlifted to the hospital after a Orange County Fire Authority truck crashed on the 241 Freeway on Sept. 19, 2024. (KTLA) -
Multiple patients were airlifted to the hospital after a Orange County Fire Authority truck crashed on the 241 Freeway on Sept. 19, 2024. (KTLA) -
Multiple patients were airlifted to the hospital after a Orange County Fire Authority truck crashed on the 241 Freeway on Sept. 19, 2024. (KTLA) -
Multiple patients were airlifted to the hospital after a Orange County Fire Authority truck crashed on the 241 Freeway on Sept. 19, 2024. (KTLA) -
Multiple patients were airlifted to the hospital after a Orange County Fire Authority truck crashed on the 241 Freeway on Sept. 19, 2024. (KTLA) -
Multiple patients were airlifted to the hospital after a Orange County Fire Authority truck crashed on the 241 Freeway on Sept. 19, 2024. (KTLA) -
Multiple patients were airlifted to the hospital after a Orange County Fire Authority truck crashed on the 241 Freeway on Sept. 19, 2024. (KTLA) -
Multiple patients were airlifted to the hospital after a Orange County Fire Authority truck crashed on the 241 Freeway on Sept. 19, 2024. (KTLA) -
Multiple patients were airlifted to the hospital after a Orange County Fire Authority truck crashed on the 241 Freeway on Sept. 19, 2024. (KTLA) -
Multiple patients were airlifted to the hospital after a Orange County Fire Authority truck crashed on the 241 Freeway on Sept. 19, 2024. (KTLA) -
Multiple patients were airlifted to the hospital after a Orange County Fire Authority truck crashed on the 241 Freeway on Sept. 19, 2024. (KTLA)
Sky5 video showed the overturned fire truck blocking highway roads and a large amount of debris scattered across the roadway.
No other vehicles were involved in the crash. The truck belonged to the Orange County Fire Authority Santiago Hand Crew.
Six firefighters remain in critical condition on Thursday night.
Two victims were transported to Orange County Global Medical Center in Santa Ana, three to the Providence Mission Hospital in Mission Viejo and two remain at the UCI Medical Center in Orange.
“We send our prayers and support to our OC Fire Authority partners following a serious traffic collision tonight involving Santiago Hand Crew 1 on the 241 Toll, near Portola,” Irvine police posted on X. “The entire OCFA family is in our thoughts.”
The northbound lanes on the 241 are shut down and the northbound on-ramps on SR-133 are closed at Irvine Boulevard as crews work to clear the debris.
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