No injuries are being reported after a tractor-trailer allegedly hit a Brighton Fire and Rescue truck on Hwy. 401 and kept trucking along late Thursday.
Brighton Fire and Rescue confirmed all firefighters were OK and its truck was also back at the station in response to inquires around the incident.
In an update Friday morning in response to MBC inquiries, Northumberland OPP confirmed shortly after 6 p.m., emergency services were on Hwy. 401 westbound in Brighton for a previously reported collision.
“While at the location, a parked fire truck was struck by a tractor-trailer, which failed to remain,” said police.
“No injuries were reported and this investigation remains ongoing. Updates will be provided when available,” said the spokesperson.
Emergency crews across Northumberland fielded a slew of calls for service and help Thursday and multiple collision reports as a wretched winter storm blew into the region.
OPP alone has detailed hundreds of collisions across its coverage area in the province and there were multiple multi-vehicle wrecks locally, in addition to vehicles in ditches.
The issue of emergency vehicles being hit while answering calls for help along Hwy. 401 has become an increasing area of concern — more so in the last year after several of these incidents.
Just last February, a Cobourg firefighter was sent to hospital after it was reported a transport truck hit a fire truck and fled the scene after emergency crews were dispatched to an unrelated collision on the highway. The accused driver was later apprehended and charged.
Also last February, charges were laid after a tractor-trailer allegedly collided with a parked Alnwick/Haldimand fire truck on Hwy. 401.
Not too far away, as just another example, last October, charges were also laid after a tractor-trailer allegedly collided with a Clarington fire truck while crews were also responding to an earlier collision and serving as a blocker in a live lane at the time of the crash.
These incidents have resulted in multiple public pleas with officials urging motorists to remain alert — especially in these horrific snowstorm conditions where first-responders are risking their lives to help others — and to please give emergency crews the space to work safely at collision scenes.
In one instance, OPP previously stressed how failing to give first-responders the space needed compromises their ability to help those in need.
Also of note, the “slow down and move over” expression isn’t just good advice, it’s the law. If you see an emergency vehicle pulled over on the side of the road with its lights activated, the law stipulates if you can safely move over, you must — and slow down approaching these scenes.
MBC will update this story when more information becomes available.
