Fort Worth, TX, Pumper Struck Blocking Crash Scene on Highway

A Fort Worth firefighter who was aboard a pumper that was struck early Saturday morning narrowly avoided injury. The driver who struck the fire truck was arrested.

Fort Worth firefighters were dispatched to an accident on Highway 287, south of downtown Fort Worth, around 3:30 a.m.

Crews from Engines 5 and 14 were unable to locate the crash and were returning to their stations when Engine 14 came across a single-vehicle crash on northbound Highway 287 near Mitchell Boulevard, a few miles south of downtown, Fort Worth Fire Department spokesman Kyle Clay told Firehouse.com.

"They positioned the pumper at a 45-degree angle to block the scene and protect the occupants and firefighters, per our policies," Clay said.

A pickup struck ran into the cab of Engine 14's fire apparatus.

"The officer was sitting in that seat 30 seconds earlier and just got out to investigate," Clay said. "They were very lucky. It could have been much worse."

Clay said both occupants of the pickup truck were trapped and required extrication, which resulted in more crews being called to the scene.

Both occupants were freed and rushed to the hospital, with suffering serious injuries. 

The occupant from the first crash was uninjured. The firefighters from Engine 14 escaped injury, Clay said.

Fort Worth police arrested the driver of the pickup truck, Zachary Carlisle, 24, who is facing the charge of intoxication assault with a vehicle, the Star Telegram reports.

"We know how lucky our crews were last night," the fire department shared on Facebook. "And we plead with the public to do their part in keeping each other safe on our roadways."