4 Fort Worth firefighters injured, 1 critically, in rollover crash on way to house fire

Four Fort Worth firefighters were injured, one of them critically, when their truck rolled over in a crash while responding to a call early Tuesday.

Two of the four firefighters were still in the hospital Tuesday afternoon, with one in the intensive care unit at John Peter Smith Hospital, Fire Chief Jim Davis said at a news conference.

The officer of the engine company, who had just recently transferred back to Station 3 to work in that community again, was severely injured and in critical condition, Davis said.

Investigators have heard conflicting stories about what happened to the officer, with some witnesses saying he was ejected from the fire engine while others said they saw him being pulled from the truck after the crash, Davis said. He was taken to JPS Hospital via helicopter.

All four firefighters on board were rescued from the wreckage. The driver and one backseat passenger have been released from the hospital, while another backseat passenger is still receiving treatment and is listed as stable.

All the firefighters, whose names have not been released, have “well over a decade” of experience with the department, Davis said. Their injuries ranged from sprains to fractures, he said.

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The accident took place shortly after 2:30 a.m. at the intersection of Wilbarger Street and Village Creek Road, in southeast Fort Worth, fire department officials said in a news release.

The firefighters were responding to a house fire in the 4500 block of Pecos Street when the driver of the engine apparently lost control and the accident occurred, officials said. Another truck was already at the scene of the fire when the crash occurred.

The fire department believes the crash was a single-vehicle incident, according to Davis. While investigators are still not sure what caused the truck to roll over, he said there is no indication it was caused by a vehicle pulling out in front of the fire engine or failing to yield.

“Our foremost priority is supporting the wellbeing of our firefighters and their families in this difficult moment,” Davis said. “We appreciate the support and prayers of the Fort Worth community as we stand by the injured and their families.”

Fort Worth police detectives are running the investigation into what happened, Police Chief Neil Noakes said at the afternoon news conference. Traffic investigators are conducting interviews and looking for witnesses but have not had an opportunity to speak with any of the injured firefighters.

One adult suffered minor injuries related to the fire, a MedStar spokesperson said, and the family who lives in the home has been been displaced and is being assisted by the Red Cross.

Nena Pounds told the Star-Telegram she has lived in the house for 16 years with no problems prior to Tuesday’s fire. Having recently had a heart attack and stroke, she only started back at work Monday.

Now, Pounds says she can’t go to work because of breathing problems from smoke inhalation.

Pounds woke up Tuesday morning and started going about her regular morning routine. When she realized the electricity was out, she opened the door to the garage to check the breaker box.

“It hit me right in the face, this thick, black smoke,” Pounds told the Star-Telegram.

She woke her husband and daughter and they ran from the home. Outside, the garage door was aflame. Then she realized her daughter’s puppy was still inside the house, in a kennel. Pounds ran back inside and got the dog, she said.

It was after going back in that Pounds had an asthma attack and had to have help breathing, she said. She’s on an hourly breathing treatment now.

“I’m just happy we made it out,” Pounds said.

Tuesday afternoon, as Pounds sat in her car outside the house, still coughing occasionally, neighbors picked through the garage looking for things they could save for her and piling up what the fire destroyed.

Pounds says she thinks the fire was started either by electrical problems with her water heater or by a space heater.

While the impact on police officers responding to an incident like this one may be greater when other first responders are involved, Noakes said at the news conference that it doesn’t impact the way the crash investigation is carried out.

The size and weight of the engine could create additional complexities, though.

Noakes told the Star-Telegram after the news conference that while physics doesn’t change depending on who is involved in a crash, determining what caused it can be a different process with a vehicle of that size.

Fire engines are also made to reach a fire and put water on the flames, meaning they carry large amounts of water on the way to the scene. Noakes told the Star-Telegram that the movement of such a large quantity of liquid can add additional layers to determine the cause that are not common in crash investigations.

The engine belongs to one of the higher-capacity fire stations in the city.

Davis said the crew involved in the crash had already responded to “nine or 10” calls during their shift. The crash happened en route to their second working fire of the day.

While the crash has impacted firefighters across the city, Davis said, the department has not stopped responding to calls. He expected fire crews to respond to between 300 and 400 calls Tuesday before the day was over.

“Our firefighters are always there for our community, and right now, we need the community’s prayers for their recovery and healing,” said Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker.