8 firefighters injured in rollover accident after fighting wildfire in Southern California

IRVINE, California. – Eight Southern California firefighters were injured, some seriously, in a rollover accident on a highway Thursday evening as they returned to the station after battling a wildfire.

Orange County Fire Rescue responded to the single-vehicle crash on State Route 241 near the Tomato Springs toll plaza in Irvine just before 7 p.m. Thursday. Firefighters in the overturned fire truck had just finished a 12-hour shift battling the 23,000-acre airport fire, according to Fire Chief Brian Fennessy.

“These are difficult times for the Orange County fire family,” Fennessy said during a press conference. “We had a serious accident that injured many of our firefighters.”

California's early explosive wildfire season is nearly 1,500% earlier than last year

Authorities said one of the eight injured firefighters had to be flown out of the scene by helicopter. Six of the firefighters are said to have suffered serious injuries, some of them in critical condition.

“One can only imagine how traumatic it is for her firefighter brothers and sisters to see her so injured on the highway,” Fennessy said.

According to FOX 11 in Los Angeles, the fire truck was involved in the accident after swerving to avoid a ladder on the road. In the early stages of the investigation, the California Highway Patrol initially thought the vehicle was an ambulance.

“This is the beginning of a long road for many of these firefighters and our fire department,” Fennessy added.

Snow cannons help save California ski resort from destruction by bridge fire

The airport fire, which spans Orange and Riverside counties, was a challenging battle for firefighters.

Fennessy said ground crews have worked tirelessly to extinguish the flames and contain the hazards, while air support has provided crucial assistance. The terrain in the area is extremely dangerous, but firefighters remain committed to containing the fire within its current boundaries.