The driver and sole occupant of a Clay County Fire and Rescue truck suffered a head injury Tuesday afternoon when the fire truck rushing to a woods fire overturned near Green Cove Springs.
Tanker 149 crashed about 3:45 p.m. on county Road 209 just west of Highway 17 as firefighters were responding to a 35-acre woods fire on Sandridge Road, about five miles from the crash site, according to Clay Fire-Rescue spokeswoman Capt. Bernita Bush.
The driver -- Jason Carter -- was conscious and responded to rescue personnel and was later transported to Orange Park Medical Center. He was treated and released just after 6 p.m.
County officials said the fire truck sustained extensive damage, and there was minor damage occurred to another vehicle. A woman and her daughter in the other vehicle were not hurt.
"He started flipping and I was trying to get out of his way, and he clipped the back of my truck and sent me spinning," the other driver told Channel 4's Melanie Lawson. "I was scared because my daughter was in the truck."
Preliminary information by the Florida Highway Patrol indicated that the tanker, which was carrying 3,500 gallons of water on board, took the corner too fast.
Carter has been with Clay Fire-Rescue since August 2003 and was promoted to the rank of driver/operator in November 2004.
Other Clay County units and the Division of Forestry contained the fire and no structures were threatened.
Fire officials want to remind the public that a burn ban is in effect through Wednesday and may be extended due to persistent dry conditions in much of Clay County.
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