CHP investigating how two firetrucks collided, injuring 15 people
A major-accident team from the California Highway Patrol will investigate how two firetrucks ended up colliding Wednesday in Monterey Park, sending one of them careening into a restaurant, injuring 15 people, including six firefighters.
The injured firefighters were equally split between the two trucks, one from Monterey Park, the other from Alhambra.
Officials said at least one person was in critical condition, although they did not specify who.
Officials said they would review everything from the speed of the trucks -- which had their lights and sirens running when they collided -- to radio communications.
Monterey Park fire officials said their firefighters wear headsets that allow them to communicate with dispatchers and other first responders, but it was difficult to say if the firefighters would have been able to hear the other truck’s siren.
“This is the first time I’ve witnessed an accident like this,” Monterey Park Fire Chief Jim Birrell said.
The incident occurred at 3:12 p.m. at the intersection of Emerson and Garfield avenues. The owner of Lu’s Dumpling House said more than a dozen people were inside the restaurant when the crash occurred.
“It’s so crazy, I couldn’t believe it was my restaurant,” said Vivian Lu, who has co-owned the restaurant with her husband for more than three years.
One of the workers described the crash as an earthquake. Some of the people inside were cut by the broken glass, Lu said.
Several of the patients were taken to Garfield Medical Center and Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center.
alicia.banks@latimes.com
Twitter: @AliciaDotBanks
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