A head-on crash in Palo Pinto County injured Willowfork Fire Department firefighters deployed to help battle the Ross Fire, according to the department.
Crew deployed to battle Ross Fire
The Katy-area crew responded August 25 to a request for assistance as emergency personnel from across Texas worked to protect communities threatened by the massive North Texas wildfire.
Willowfork firefighters worked overnight into August 26, protecting homes and supplying water to other fire vehicles involved in the response.
Trailer strikes fire apparatus head-on
The crew was traveling to another area of the fire on the morning of August 27 when a truck pulling a large trailer lost control of the trailer, the department said. The trailer crossed into the path of the Willowfork fire apparatus and struck it head-on.
The collision caused major damage to the apparatus. The department said the injured firefighters received medical treatment but did not disclose the number of injured firefighters or the severity of their injuries.
Fire Chief Billy Wilson praised the crew for answering the request for assistance and said the department would continue supporting the injured firefighters during their recovery.
“Our crews answered the call to help protect the communities affected by the Ross Fire, working long hours under difficult conditions,” Wilson said in the department’s statement. “We are incredibly proud of their dedication and professionalism and will continue to support our firefighters as they recover.”
Willowfork also thanked the firefighters and emergency personnel working the Ross Fire, along with those who responded to the crash and assisted the crew. The department said it was assessing the damage to the fire apparatus.
The Ross Fire began August 24 in Palo Pinto County before spreading into Jack County. The Ross Fire incident page listed the wildfire at 85,303 acres and 31% containment as of August 31.
The blaze ranks as North Texas’ second-largest wildfire, as The Dallas Express previously reported.
Provided by Dallas Express
