The fire truck was heading for a fire and the ambulance to a Miami hospital when both vehicles failed to stop for one another and crashed in the intersection injuring 12 people. The fire truck was flipped in the collision and threw out shrapnel and glass into the streets and nearby area.
There were four fire fighters aboard the fire truck and the ambulance was carrying another three fire fighters, two children and their grandmother. All seven of the firefighters, the three passengers on the ambulance, and two people in a nearby car that was hit by the flipped firs truck were all injured.
Witnesses described the scene as “complete chaos” with a slew of police, additional fire fighters, paramedics, and more emergency vehicles all gathering around the scene of the accident. People were also pouring out of the nearby hospital to see what was going on.
Fortunately, none of the injuries appeared to be life-threatening, according to Miami Fire Rescue Assistant Chief Pete Gomez. He also added that department policy is that the driver of the truck is supposed to follow the rules of the road, unless there is an emergency situation, then they can go through red lights if the way is clear. Frederica Burden, a spokeswoman for the Miami police, said that there would be an investigation to determine the cause of the accident and the person responsible.
If you are ever in a car accident with a government vehicle, consult an attorney to go over your options moving forward. The government typically gets to dictate whether or not you are allowed to sue them and even put a time limit on when you are allowed to do so. It is important to have good representation on your side to insure you are compensated for any injuries or damages the accident may have caused.