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Pickup Driver Cited After Hitting Chicago Fire Engine on West Side

Police cited the driver in a crash that underscores risks to first responders.

Overview

  • A Chicago Fire Department engine with emergency lights activated was struck by a northbound Toyota pickup at West Augusta Boulevard and North Long Avenue in the Austin neighborhood, police said Tuesday.
  • The fire truck went over a curb and into a stoplight and a tree after the collision, according to Chicago police.
  • Four CFD personnel, including two firefighters, were taken to a local hospital following the crash.
  • Chicago police cited the 32-year-old pickup driver for failing to yield to an emergency vehicle and said he was not injured.
  • Initial statements from CFD and local TV said the patients' conditions were not immediately known while a later local blog quoted unnamed fire officials saying all four were in good condition, and an active police investigation is ongoing.