LOS ANGELES, CA – A firefighter and six other people were injured Sunday afternoon when a Los Angeles Fire Department vehicle responding to an emergency was involved in a multi-vehicle crash in South Los Angeles.
The collision happened around 2:30 p.m. Sept. 13 near 11928 S. Figueroa St. in the Vermont Vista neighborhood, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.
LAFD initially reported that a fire truck and engine were involved in the traffic accident. The department later confirmed that three civilian vehicles and one LAFD vehicle were involved and that seven people were being treated, including one LAFD member.
All seven patients were transported to local hospitals for medical evaluation and treatment.
Multi-vehicle crash on Figueroa Street
The circumstances that led to the collision remained under investigation. LAFD said the department’s apparatus was involved in the crash while responding to an emergency.
The initial emergency response involved a physical rescue, with firefighters reporting that at least one person needed to be extricated from a vehicle.
LAFD personnel requested traffic control assistance as emergency crews worked at the scene. The department also advised motorists to avoid the area because of traffic delays.
Images from the aftermath showed extensive vehicle damage and shattered glass scattered across the roadway. Emergency crews worked around the damaged vehicles as patients were assessed and prepared for transportation to hospitals.
The official LAFD incident report identified the location as 11928 S. Figueroa Street, near 120th Street.
Seven people taken to hospitals
The total number of patients was later confirmed at seven, including one LAFD firefighter. The department said all patients, including the injured LAFD member, were transported to a local hospital.
LAFD did not initially provide additional details about the severity of the injuries or the condition of the firefighter.
Because the crash involved an emergency vehicle and multiple civilian vehicles, the scene required both medical response and traffic control while investigators began determining how the collision occurred.
Information gathered by Street People from the department’s public incident reports indicates that one civilian involved in the collision required extrication from a vehicle.
LAPD handling investigation
The Los Angeles Police Department responded to the scene and is handling the traffic collision investigation, according to LAFD.
The fire department’s incident report listed the LAPD incident number as 2463.
At the time of the initial reports, authorities had not released a detailed account explaining which vehicles entered the intersection first or what circumstances preceded the impact.
No determination about fault was announced in the information released by authorities.
The investigation is expected to examine the movements of the LAFD apparatus and the three civilian vehicles involved in the collision, along with other factors that may have contributed to the crash.
Emergency response underway after collision
Firefighters and paramedics remained at the location while the injured people were evaluated. Police officers also worked to secure the area and manage traffic around the crash scene.
The incident occurred in the afternoon near Figueroa Street and 120th Street, an area where the collision temporarily affected traffic as emergency personnel responded.
LAFD said its public information officer was sent to the scene and established a media staging area on 120th Street east of Figueroa Street.
The department later confirmed that all seven patients had been transported to hospitals.
The crash remains under investigation by the LAPD, while additional details about the circumstances and the conditions of those injured had not been released in the initial official reports.
