FIRE TRUCK ROLLS
OFF HILL IN HENDERSON COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA; ICY CONDITIONS TO BLAME,
OFFICIALS SAY
A fire truck responding to a car collision rolled off a
steep mountain road and down a cliff Wednesday morning in North Carolina after
encountering icy roadways, the Henderson County Sheriff's Office said.
The accident occurred at about 8 a.m. in the Carriage Park community, south
of Asheville, Maj. Frank Stout told WBTV.com. The fire truck was traveling
along a steep, icy road when it slid off the road and rolled down into a
valley, nearly landing in a nearby lake, the report added.
"Any ice amounts were generally very light in
western North Carolina early Wednesday. However, just a thin glaze is all that
is needed to turn roads – particularly untreated secondary roads, bridges
and overpasses – dangerous," said weather.com meteorologist Jon Erdman.
Firefighters inside the truck were hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries,
according to the Blue Ridge Times-News. The report also mentioned that heavy
fog was a factor. At least one person who saw the fire truck in the area
minutes before the crash said he couldn't see 200 yards in front of him
due to the conditions.
Ice was also to blame for the initial accident to which the
fire truck was responding, WYFF.com reported. Crews are now working to remove
the truck from the valley.
The accident caused an estimated $30,000 to $50,000 in
damage to the $100,000 fire truck, North Carolina Highway Patrol Trooper S.A.
Davis told the Times-News.