By Amanda Christman
Standard-Speaker, Hazleton, Pa.
(TNS)
HAZLETON, Pa. —Two firefighters were in a vehicle that was hit by a motorist while responding to a Friday morning crash in Hazle Twp.
Hazle Twp. Fire and Rescue was called out to Route 924 (CAN DO Expressway) at 7:23 a.m. near Oak Ridge Road for a crash with possible entrapment.
Fire Chief Scott Kostician was driving a 2007 Chevrolet utility with another firefighter inside but, upon arrival, the vehicle was hit in the rear driver’s side by another motorist, according to the fire department. Members were about to exit the vehicle to assess the scene when the truck was hit, firefighters said.
Both firefighters received medical treatment for minor injuries at a local hospital and were released. The operator of the other vehicle was uninjured.
Kostician said their utility truck sustained moderate damage and the aluminum bed will have to be replaced. He encouraged motorists to slow down for weather and road conditions, as it was snowing during the wreck and to be aware of vehicles on the roadside.
Valley Regional EMS and Greater Hazleton EMS assisted on the scene.
State police at Hazleton is investigating.
Firefighters and troopers were responding to a one-vehicle crash at the time.
Troopers said Francisco Rodriguez Hernandez, 31, Hazle Twp., was driving a Toyota RAV 4 west on Route 924 when he lost control of the vehicle and began to slide. The vehicle went onto the right shoulder, traveled up an embankment and rolled onto its driver’s side, troopers said. Rodriguez Hernandez was unharmed but his passenger, Jorge Paulino Cruz, 27, Hazle Twp., sustained a minor injury and was taken to Lehigh Valley Hospital-Hazleton by Greater Hazleton EMS. The Toyota was towed.
___
(c)2022 the Standard-Speaker (Hazleton, Pa.)
Visit the Standard-Speaker (Hazleton, Pa.) at standardspeaker.com
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.