LOUISA COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) — Virginia State Police is investigating a single-vehicle crash that seriously injured two members of the Louisa County Fire Department when the fire engine they were in ran off the road and hit a tree.
Officials say it was raining when a firetruck carrying two firefighters left the station just before 3 p.m. Sunday, July 9 to respond to a call for a structure fire. State Police said on the way to the call, the 2002 engine ran off the road and hit a tree in the area of 2363 Peach Grove Rd. in Louisa County. Louisa County officials say the firefighters were using a Mineral Volunteer Fire Department engine, but confirmed they were Louisa County employees.
During the crash, a 20-year-old woman — a Louisa County firefighter from Fredericksburg — was ejected from the truck. Officials say she was flown by med-flight to UVA University Hospital in Charlottesville where she was left fighting for her life due to serious, life-threatening injuries.
The Louisa County firefighter driving the truck, a 39-year-old man from Culpeper, was taken to the hospital in an ambulance with serious but non-life-threatening injuries.
As of Monday morning, the Louisa County Fire Department said one of the victims of the crash had been released from the hospital, and the other remained in the hospital in stable condition. State Police said both were wearing their seatbelts during the crash.
The Louisa County Board of Supervisors shared the following statement to 8News in response to the incident:
We, the Louisa County Board of Supervisors and staff, continue to keep the involved personnel and their families in our thoughts and prayers. We deeply appreciate our first responders – their bravery and commitment to the needs of the community is an example to us all. Louisa County residents and our neighboring localities have shown tremendous support and this outpouring is impactful as our team member is in stable condition and continues to recover.
Louisa County Board of Supervisors
This crash remains under investigation with the assistance of the Virginia State Police Division I Crash Reconstruction Team.
Editors Note — This article has been corrected to clarify the firefighters involved were Louisa County employees.
