A Pontiac hydroplaned on an Atlanta interstate and struck a firefighter, critically injuring him on Sunday morning.
According to local television station, 11 Alive, the firefighter, who as of Sunday night had not been publically identified, had responded to a rollover crash on Interstate 85 and had just stepped off an engine when he was struck.
Atlanta Fire Chief Randall Slaughter said during a news conference that the 47-year-old fire sergeant was in “very, very serious condition” but stable and in surgery for injuries to his lower extremities. The chief said the incident could have resulted in a fatality.
Slaughter said the engine was moving into a blocking position when the sergeant stepped off the vehicle and was immediately hit, the television station reported.
The driver of the 2009 Pontiac G5 was also injured in the secondary wreck and is facing charges resulting from the incident, the station reported.
