By FireRescue1 Staff
DOWNEY, Idaho — Three firefighters were injured when their fire truck caught fire and was completely destroyed.
Idaho State Journal reported that Downey Fire Department firefighters were at the scene of a wildfire when a gas can fell off the truck. The truck ignited in what they called a “freak accident” when it ran over the full can and was quickly engulfed by flames.
“A gas can came loose, fell out of the truck and they were backing up when they ran the gas can over and it ignited,” Downey Fire Chief Chris Sorensen said. “They were fighting in the black (burned grass) like we usually do and there were enough embers that it went up.”
The firefighters escaped but suffered burns, including one who had them on 40 percent of his body. One of the firefighters also broke his leg. All three firefighters were transported to the hospital.
“I don’t really know what we could have done different other than we’re just going to reevaluate how we do things,” Chief Sorensen said. “Without knowing exactly how that gas can fell lose it’s hard to know what went wrong.”