Miami, FL Miami Police have a new red light camera video that shows the moment that a fire truck and a Miami Fire Rescue truck collided, Tuesday afternoon.
The footage is a critical piece of evidence for investigators as they try to piece together this accident. Twelve people, including several first responders, were transported to the hospital.
According to officials, a fire truck and a rescue truck collided at Northwest 12th Avenue and 14th Street, Tuesday afternoon.
"We have a ... one of our pumpers [fire truck] was heading northbound on 12th Avenue responding to a building assignment," said Miami Fire Rescue Assistant Chief Pete Gomez. "The rescue truck was going to the [UM] hospital here, and they collided at this intersection."
Melissa Perry and Joanna Brown, visiting from Boston to watch the Marlins and Red Sox game, witnessed the crash while on a trolley. "We heard the crash," said Perry.
"It sounded like an explosion," said witness Kyera Greene. "It was loud, and it was scary."
"We heard the driver tell us what had happened 'cause the fire truck had just passed us," said Brown.
Four firefighters, who were traveling to a fire, were inside the fire truck, and several of them were trapped inside the vehicle as a result of the crash. Cellphone video captured fellow firefighters breaking the front window of the truck.
Three firefighters were inside the ambulance, along with two children and a grandmother. "At this time, we don't know who was at fault, who did what," said Gomez. "All we know is we had the accident right there. The fire truck spun, flipped on its side, and all seven firefighters have been transported to the trauma center."
7 Skyforce HD hovered over the scene as one person was transported to an area hospital. Officials later confirmed that 12 people, including several first responders and two children, were transported to nearby Jackson Memorial Hospital as a precaution. All are in stable condition.
"That's a heavy piece of equipment," said Gomez. "If you take a look, there's a median there, and the median may have played a role in it 'cause the tires may have been caught in there and caused it to flip. I don't know. It's gonna be investigated."
A rust-colored sedan was also caught up in the impact. The two victims in that car were transported to the hospital as a precaution.
Thankfully, Gomez said, none of the victims' injuries were serious. "When you look at that damage, you're wondering how anybody survived, but by the grace of God, nobody is really hurt too bad," said Gomez.
Both Perry and Brown said the fire truck did have its lights and sirens on and was traveling at a "normal speed." Officials later said both vehicles had their emergency lights and sirens on.
The collision left the front end of the rescue truck completely mangled, but it has not been confirmed if speed was a factor. "It was like a popping sound. It was just like a 'cush' and everyone on the trolley was just like, Oh my gosh. What just happened?" said Perry. "Chaos. There's a lot of cops, lot of fire trucks."
Shortly after the victims were taken to JMH, cameras captured fellow firefighters arriving to check on their co-workers. As of Wednesday morning, 11 of the 12 victims had been released. None of the injuries were serious.
Miami Police are now tasked with determining who was at fault as they break down the trucks to see what they can salvage.
