Community comes together in prayer for Fort Worth firefighters injured in crash
UPDATE: The Fort Worth Fire Department reported that 2 of the injured firefighters' conditions are improving. In a Facebook post, they said Firefighter Clint Robinson was discharged from the hospital today following a successful surgery and will face a 3-6 month healing and rehabilitation period.
Captain Daniel Terrell has been moved from the Intensive Care Unit to a Step Down Unit, indicating that his condition has improved as well.
FORT WORTH - The Fort Worth Fire Department released the names of the four firefighters involved in a serious crash Monday morning. The crash happened as the firefighters were on their way to fire nearby Station 3 in East Fort Worth, near the intersection of Village Creek Rd. and Wilbarger St.
The department says 42-year-old engineer Mathew Schneider was the firefighter driving the fire truck when the crash occurred. Schneider has been with the department for 22 years, had minor injuries from the crash, and was released from the hospital on Tuesday.
Firefighter Devin Kuhn, 33, has been with the department for 5 years according to FWFD and was also released from the hospital Tuesday.
Firefighter Clint Robinson, 42,has been with FWFD for 18 years. The department says Robinson underwent surgery Wednesday afternoon and is still recovering in the hospital.
Lastly, 46-year-old Captain Daniel Terrel has been a Fort Worth firefighter for 18 years and is currently in the hospital in intensive care with life-threatening injuries.
"They're the ones that need to be saved right now," Jesse Taylor, a neighbor who lives nearby where the crash happened. "It almost sounded like an explosion. This is something you see on TV. You don't see this normally."
Taylor adds he always sees running the stop sign at the intersection where the crash happened. He says he even saw strangers stopping at the crash scene to help the firefighters.
"You could tell [the firefighters] were really banged up and really hurt and needed some help bad," Taylor adds.
The Fort Worth Fire Department said its protocol for all firefighters is to wear seatbelts any time the fire truck is in motion. The department also said none of the firefighters were ejected from the track from the crash.
Truevine Missionary Baptist Church in Fort Worth invited the community Wednesday to pray for the firefighters. Lead pastor, Jack Crane, says the North Texas Community is standing behind FWFD.
"We are here for you. We're here to pray for you. We're here to encourage you and say that we're behind you, and we even say to the families; we're here to be there for you and to meet your needs," Crane said.
The Fort Worth Police Department is still investigating the cause of the crash.
"We could not be more appreciative of how this community has surrounded us with their love and support," FWFD said in a statement to CBS News Texas. "We don't have any immediate needs at this time, other than asking for your prayers and continued support. Our crews and families definitely feel them. Thank you so much."
