Two Newton County firefighters returned to work Friday, three days after their truck hit a car during an emergency call and overturned on an embankment.
Tuesday’s crash near Covington sent three people to the hospital, including the two firefighters and a 19-year-old driver, officials said. The wreck happened about 6 p.m. near the intersection of Ga. 36 and East End Road, according to a Georgia State Patrol incident report.
Investigators said the truck was traveling south on Ga. 36 with its lights and siren on when the driver tried to get past traffic by using the northbound lane. As the fire engine went around the vehicles, a teen driving a yellow Ford Escape tried to turn left onto East End Road in front of the truck.
The fire engine struck the driver’s side of the SUV before leaving the road and going down an embankment, according to the GSP report. The truck ended up on its side in the ditch, totaling the vehicle, Newton County spokesman Bryan Fazio said.
The two injured firefighters were riding inside the truck’s cab. They were taken by ambulance to Piedmont Walton Hospital with minor injuries and released later that evening. The 19-year-old driving the Ford was taken to Piedmont Newton Hospital, authorities said. An update on her condition wasn’t immediately available.
The Newton County Fire Department is down one truck after the wreck, but Fazio said the department has reserve engines available to replace the 20-year-old vehicle.
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