Firefighter Hospitalized After FDNY Truck Strikes Parked Cars In Brooklyn
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- A firefighter was rushed to the hospital after an FDNY truck struck several parked cars in Brooklyn Wednesday night.
Sources say the firefighter was behind the wheel of the truck and suffered a seizure while stopped at a red light, which caused the vehicle to lurch forward and strike between ten and 15 cars near the corner of St. Marks and New York Avenues in Crown Heights shortly after 6 p.m.
The loud collision was enough to startle Vanessa Hernandez, who was inside her apartment nearby when it happened.
BREAKING: A firefighter loses control of his engine after a medical episode behind the wheel. The truck slammed in to at least 10 parked cars according to FDNY. No pedestrians were hurt. More on @CBSNewYork at 11. pic.twitter.com/o2TEnQW9h0
— Valerie Castro (@VCastroTV) October 18, 2018
"To me it sounded like the beginning of a thunderstorm," she said. "I was confused, and I even asked my dad did you hear that and he said 'probably the beginning of a thunderstorm'."
Once she came outside, she realized the noise was not made by mother nature.
"I've never seen an accident like this," she said. "I've seen my share of accidents, but I never seen an accident like this."
The injured firefighter was rushed to Brookdale University Hospital Medical Center in serious but stable condition.
Four other firefighters aboard the rig at the time of the collision were treated at the scene for minor injuries.
No civilians were hurt in the chaos.
It wasn't clear if the truck was responding to an emergency call at the time of the crash, but witnesses say they didn't see lights and sirens at the time.