Firefighter injured in rollover crash en route to a vegetation fire in Oakley
OAKELY, Calif. - A firefighter was injured in Oakley on Tuesday, during a rollover accident while responding to a grass fire.
Driver injured after fire department's water truck overturns in Oakley
A fire department water tender truck overturned in Oakley on Tuesday, injuring the driver. The truck was en route to a brush fire. East Contra Costa County Fire Department said a hazmat crew was called out the scene because diesel fuel was leaking in a nearby storm drain.
It happened around 1:30 p.m. at O’Hara Avenue at West Cypress Road. The East Contra Costa Fire Protection District (ECCFPD) said a firefighter operating a water tender truck was responding to a vegetation fire in the 2400 block of East Cypress Road when the rollover happened. No other vehicles were involved.
The truck operator managed to "self extricate" from the truck, according to Steve Aubert, fire marshal and public information officer for ECCFPD.
A unit with the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District (Con Fire) responded to the scene.
"The driver was transported to hospital for injuries," Con Fire shared on Twitter, adding that the incident highlighted the dangers firefighters faced. "Con Fire wishes our brother firefighter a speedy recovery," the fire agency said.
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Aubert said that the injured firefighter was treated at John Muir Medical Health in Walnut Creek. He has since been released from the hospital. "All in all, he’s going to be okay," Aubert added.
The fire district said that the initial vegetation fire the firefighter was responding to was contained to about half an acre and damaged a couple of outbuildings.
Aubert said the fire was caused by so-called "hot work," defined as cutting, welding, or soldering equipment that can produce sparks and trigger a fire.