Waterbury, CT-MVA involving fire apparatus

[Guest BFD196]

WTNH is reporting that two Waterbury FD rigs were involved in an MVA this morning and that several firefighters have been injured. A link to the very brief story is below...apparently there is a news conference scheduled at 2. Has anyone heard anything more about this?

http://www.wtnh.com/Global/story.asp?S=6539883

[CTFF 65]

here is a video link

http://www.wtnh.com/global/video/popup/pop...83&rnd=97134696

[IzzyEng4 427]

The accident involved Truck 1 for sure and the Engine looks to be either Engine 2 or Engine 10 (E-10 is house with Truck 1). I'll find out which engine it was. Let's pray for these guys, we don;t want to see Waterbury loose two more guys to a fire truck accident when the first one, though 17 years ago, is still fresh in the minds of everybody in the Naugatuck Valley.

[Guest]

Jesus...absolutely horrible scene. Thoughts and prayers to those still in the hospital.

[CTFF 65]

I think it was Engine 8, they were on the way to a reported kitchen fire.

[Guest]

http://www.waterburyfire.org/

[Guest]

DAMN

[Guest partyrock]

Can we please start wearing our seatbelts and stopping at intersections. Good luck brothers.

[x152 179]

Can we please start wearing our seatbelts and stopping at intersections.  Good luck brothers.

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No doubt, my thoughts exactly (not to suggest that was or was not a factor in this accident). We also need to SLOW down while responding and STOP and red lights and STOP signs (regardless of the type/severity of the alarm we are responding to.

PS - Was at the accident scene yesterday afternoon and believe the Engine was a spare Lafrance Century model (Marked as Engine 12), running as Engine 8.

I can't help but remark at the similarities (the location, time of year, and fact that this involved a reserve rig) with the apparatus accident involving WFD just over 17 years ago.

My thoughts and prayers for all those involved.

[x635 4,066]

Thoughts and prayers are with the injured firefighters, their families, and friends.

This is why cities like Yonkers, NY have aggresively worked to upgrade their fleet and spare pool.....the older the rig, the more dangerous it is. Granted, Waterbury is a very poor city, but still......

[jayhalsey 6]

Thoughts and prayers are with the injured firefighters, their families, and friends.

This is why cities like Yonkers, NY have aggresively worked to upgrade their fleet and spare pool.....the older the rig, the more dangerous it is. Granted, Waterbury is a very poor city, but still......

Best wishes to all involved for a speedy recovery.

Is it known that the age of the rig(s) was a factor in the crash?

[helicopper 1,050]

Eight Waterbury firefighters injured in crash

by News Channel 8's Jamie Muro

Posted May 19, 2007

Updated 10:05 PM

(Waterbury-WTNH) _  Two Waterbury firefighters suffered critical injuries after two fire trucks crashed around 10:30 Saturday morning.

The fire trucks, Engine 8 and Truck 1, were responding to a kitchen fire on Eastern Avenue when they crashed at the intersection of Route 73 and East Aurora Street. Those that saw the accident say it was a horrific scene.

"It was deafening, very loud," said witness Jay Blewitt. "I look back over and one of the trucks was spinning and ended up landing over by the guardrail. At least 2-guys that I saw were ejected from the truck immediately."

Eight firefighters were taken to area hospitals. Two of the men on Engine 8, 45-year old Joseph Fischetti and 37-year old Captain John Keane, are in critical condition.

Waterbury's mayor is asking the community for their prayers.

"The only thing I would like to ask is that we pray for these firefighters, their families and the doctors and nurses attending to their needs," said Mayor Mike Jarjura.

People like Jay Blewitt are left wondering why those who save were the ones who needed saving.

"It's not an image that you want to stay with you. It's scary, something you see in movies and you don't think it will really happen in real life," said Blewitt.

Four other fighters have non-life threatening injuries and are at area hospitals. Two firefighters have been treated and released. 

This accident and the one between the fire apparatus and police car in Baltimore (?) really make me think that it is time to take a long hard look at how we operate. As partyrock said, stopping at intersections is really not going to impact response times and wearing seat belts should be a no-brainer. To read that FF's were ejected in this accident only adds insult to injury (NO pun intended!).

It is hard enough to hear another siren over your own as you approach an intersection and in an urban envrironment the sounds are bouncing all over the place anyway making it near impossible to distinguish your siren from that of another vehicle approaching from another direction!

Slow down and stay safe out there!!!

[IzzyEng4 427]

Best wishes to all involved for a speedy recovery.

Is it known that the age of the rig(s) was a factor in the crash?

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As of right now no.

Engine 12 is a 1988 American LaFrance Century 2000 pumper that served as Engine 2 (i think or it could have been old Engine 10, both are twins and reserve pumpers now from information that I have received from others). This truck is currently 19 years old and can be viewed on FDNYTrucks under the Connecticut section. Truck 1 is an early 2000 model Seagrave rear mount stick.

The investigation is still on going and no report has been filed yet on the cause. Also it is not confirmed weather the firefighters from both trucks were seat belted or not.

Edited May 22, 2007 by IzzyEng4

[SageVigiles 1,194]

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/C/CT_...HEAST&TEMPLATE=

The Mayor's Office of Waterbury has announced that Captain John Keane died of his injuries at 0230 this morning.

Rest in Peace brother...

[sr71 1]

please everyone wear that seatbelt. I know that from now on i am every time i get on the rig

Rest in Peace Captain Keane, may the lord comfort your family and brother firemen

stay safe

sr71

[Guest]

please everyone wear that seatbelt. I know that from now on i am every time i get on the rig

Rest in Peace Captain Keane, may the lord comfort your family and brother firemen

stay safe

sr71

←

Rest in peace my brother

God speed for fast recovery to our other brother

Lets be safe out there

[IzzyEng4 427]

Sad Sad day in the Naugatuck Valley again.

Rest in Peace Capt.

[Guest]

Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family CAPT.

God Bless

[Guest]

Rest in Peace Capt