Several firefighters injured in serious accident in California

In a serious accident in California, several firefighters were injured while responding to a nearby forest fire.

At least eight firefighters were injured in a fire truck accident, local police officials said.

In a press conference Friday morning, Orange County Fire Chief Brian Fennessy said firefighters were responding to a “rollover accident” near “241 northbound, just north of Portola.”

According to Fennessy, the vehicle was transporting ground crews after a grueling 12-hour shift battling the Orange County airport fire when it struck a ladder in the road, causing the truck to strike a railing and overturn.

One firefighter was flown out by helicopter while others were taken to hospitals by ambulance, authorities said.

“All teams involved are currently going through a formal critical incident debriefing at our headquarters,” Fennessy said. “They can only imagine how traumatic it is for their firefighter brothers and sisters to see them injured like that on the highway.”

“My staff, Orange County Fire Department 3631, will be there for the families, will be there for the firefighters. We ask that you pray for our firefighters and their families. All of their families have been notified and this is the beginning of a long road for many of these firefighters and our fire department,” Fennessy said, noting that more information would be released in the next few hours.

In a series of posts on X (formerly Twitter), the Orange County Fire Department described the current status of the airport fire that broke out on September 9.

“The #AirportFire has expanded to 23,519 acres, spanning both Orange and Riverside counties. The efforts of firefighters on the ground and in the air are a testament to their dedication in protecting the communities affected by the fire,” the Orange County Fire Department said in a post.

“Ground crews have worked tirelessly to extinguish the flames and contain the hazards, while air support has aided and augmented these efforts.”

In another post, the Orange County Fire Department said current terrain conditions were “dangerous and challenging,” but noted that firefighters continued to work to contain the fire “and ensure it remains within its current boundaries.”

According to Cal Fire, the airport fire is currently raging in “Trabuco Canyon and Rose Canyon, Trabuco Canyon.”

Cal Fire also announced that an evacuation order is currently in effect and advised residents that “there is an immediate threat to life.”

“This is a police order to leave the area immediately. The area is closed to the public by law,” the evacuation order states.

This article contains reports from The Associated Press