Detroit Ladder Truck Loses Control, Strikes Cars: Caught on Tape

WDIV
Reprinted with Permission

DETROIT - A run by a Detroit fire crew on the city's southwest side took a turn for the worse Tuesday evening.

FOX 2 NEWS

As a Ladder 13 fire truck, with the sirens blaring, turned from Lawndale Road onto West Vernor Street, and crashed into two vehicles, a surveillance camera from a nearby party store rolled.

Investigators said the surveillance camera from Dollar Max Plus shows the driver of the rig takes the right turn at a high speed and misses his lane. He then plows into a vehicle waiting at the light on Vernor Street and then slams into a Pontiac G6, sending it flying nearly 50 feet, before coming to a stop.

"He is a crazy driver. He wants to hurry, and he got beside him (the driver of the Pontiac G6) and he put it off on the street," said Dollar Max Plus owner Bawsam Safedi.

The two people inside the Pontiac G6 were taken to a nearby hospital with minor injuries. The driver of the vehicle that was hit first was not injured. Also, none of the three firefighters inside the rig were injured.

Local 4 has learned that the firefighter behind the wheel has been with the department for more than 10 years and has traveled the same route many times.

The Detroit Fire Department will only say it is investigating the crash. Local 4 has learned the driver of the rig underwent drug and alcohol testing Tuesday evening.

Investigators said it's common procedure to undergo those types of tests during crash investigations.

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He should have slowed down more before taking the turn.
Wow!! That sucks but unless I was behind the wheel, I really couldn't say why it happened. Where his front brakes locked as he said? Maybe. Just glad no one died.

I will be interested in seeing what the findings of the investigation are when it is done.
thats true there could of been alot of people hurt and killed but it might be that he of had the brakes lock up when he was trying to slow down to make the turn and when they lock up your r screwed because you cant do anything to stop you from going into things.
we have a saying, "don't rush to the brush!". maybe this should apply to other emergency callls, we do no one any good if we never get there. it's better to drive slower and ensure that we arrive safely, and as usual, it was a false alarm... sure looked like the driver was driving TOO fast for city streets... has anyone heard of a firetrucks brakes "locking up"? sure sounds a little fishy to me...
I have had brakes fail in an engine. If that is truly what happened, he did a hell of a job holding on to that truck. It does happen, they are mechanical..... Not saying it did, just that it can.
agrees with christian
Slow down and we all live.It was probally a pot on a stove in a low rent district.
Lucky very lucky
If the brakes truely locked up, he should have never turned the corner!
If you arrive 30 secounds early and kill someone, everyone will remember it! If you arrive 30 secound late, nobody will ever notice!

Lets keep the other motorist in mind when responding. KNOW your route of travel befor responding and SLOW down to make turns. Most fire vehical accidents happen in intersections followed by rollovers.
look real close, he drilled the G6 with the front the first time and then with the back the second time
I really dont like seeing things like this but they do and will happen. I drive big rigs for a liven as well as drive our 4000 gal tender on the dept. I have had my brakes lock up when driving and also while in a turning possition, and not much you can do when it happens. I also know from experience that when you go fast you dont stop, and it takes longer to stop. Brakes heat up faster and tend to fail quiker when trying to stop at high speeds. To me and hate to say it, but have to in someways agree with the driver, as far as the brakes locken up, although it looks to me as if he where going just a bit to fast, which could definatly effect the condition of the brakeing system. I also feel that we all need to think a little before we drive and we all need to slow down. I know for I am just as guilty, being on a paid on call dept, and being gone so much I dont make many fires. The padger goes off addrenalin starts flowen and I tend to get a little bit of a lead foot goen, it happens to all of us. I just am glad in this insident that no one was killed or hurt any worse then they where, also is a good remminder to wear your seatbelt and slowdown.

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