W.Va. Firefighter Critically Injured in Tanker Rollover

Sept. 25, 2012
Whitesville Firefighter David Massey was responding to a fire when his tanker truck overturned.

A member of the Whitesville Volunteer Fire Department was critically injured after the 2,200-gallon tanker truck he was riding in overturned Tuesday morning.

Firefighter David Massey, 54, was en route to a fire in the 23000 block of Coal River Road in Orgas when the crash occurred on Route 3 in Sylvester shortly before 8 a.m., according to WSAZ-TV.

The 35-year veteran of the department was flown to Charleston Area Medical Center in critical condition.

Massey's condition improved and he was awake and talking just hours after the crash, WOWK-TVreported.

"They were responding to a working structure fire. He was responding as the 'third-due' apparatus. It's an unhydrant area," Assistant Fire Chief David Hodges told The Metro News. "The truck did flip over and rolled an unknown amount of times in the roadway."

Massey was the only person inside the rig ang became trapped following the wreck.

"This is a very serious situation and I would ask that everyone keep this firefighter in their thoughts and prayers," Hodges said.

The Boone County Sheriff's Office and the West Virginia Fire Marshal's Office are investigating the incident.

Firehouse.com will provide more information on this story as it becomes available.

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