Blown Tire Sends Waynesville, MO, Heavy Rescue Off the Road

June 26, 2025

The driver of the Waynesville Rural Fire Protection District's heavy rescue was injured in the crash.

According to the Waynesville Rural Fire Protection District, the heavy rescue truck suffered extensive damage after it suffered a blown tire.

A firefighter from the Waynesville Rural Fire Protection District was injured Monday after the rescue truck he was driving suffered a tire blowout.

The rig was returning from a call on I-44 around 11:20 a.m. when the right front tire suffered a blow out.

It forced the fire apparatus to leave the roadway and go up an embankment. The rig struck an exit sign before it slowed to a stop on the shoulder.

Fire officials said the impact of the exit sign caused extensive damage to the can, including shattering the window.

The department said the driver was taken to the hospital with minor injuries. Two other firefighters on the heavy rescue were uninjured.

Based on the initial survey, Waynesville fire officials said the rig will likely be a total loss.

About the Author

Peter Matthews | Editor-in-Chief/Conference Director

Peter Matthews is the conference director and editor-in-chief of Firehouse. He has worked at Firehouse since 1999, serving in various roles on both Firehouse Magazine and Firehouse.com staffs. He completed an internship with the Rochester, NY, Fire Department and served with fire departments in Rush, NY, and Laurel, MD, and was a lieutenant with the Glenwood Fire Company in Glenwood, NY. Matthews served as photographer for the St. Paul, MN, Fire Department and currently is a photographer for the Fort Worth, TX, Fire Department.