An alarming video of a fire truck losing control after battling an icy road in Missouri quickly went viral on Monday morning.
A winter storm brought freezing rain and “significant icing” across the Central Plains on Monday, and National Weather Service (NWS) warnings urged motorists not to drive in multiple states as the ice storm created hazardous road conditions. A fire truck was responding to a call when it fell victim early Monday morning in Missouri. The fire tuck lost control in a neighborhood and quickly careened down the road, spinning several times.
A video posted on X, formerly Twitter, captured the spinout.
“Didn’t realize you could actually Tokyo Drift a fire truck!” one person posted on X while sharing the original video, which had received more than 500,000 views as of Monday afternoon just after 1 p.m. Eastern time.
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In the video, a woman is screaming “holy s***!” as the fire truck loses control and spins several times before colliding with a parked car down the street. The firehose falls off the truck during the crash.
There were no injuries in the accident, according to a press release from the Rock Community Fire Protection District.
Fire district Public Information Officer Alyson Rotter told Newsweek that the firefighters were responding to a call in which a vehicle had slid into a fire hydrant when the truck hit the ice.
“Upon responding in the inclement weather the Rock Community apparatus began to slide and would eventually strike the car involved in the original accident and come to a stop,” the press release said. “There is no structural damage to report during this incident and both the firetruck involved and the original car involved both sustained damage.”
Damage totals from the accident had not been released as of press time.
A message from Fire Chief Kevin Wingbermuehle encouraged people to share the video to “highlight the daily challenges and hazards faced by firefighters.”
“The involved apparatus has a gross vehicle weight rating of over 56,000 Lbs. While the situation was undoubtedly harrowing, it underscores the exemplary professional capabilities and training of our personnel,” Wingbermuehle wrote. “The adeptness displayed by the apparatus operator in making swift decisions and maintaining composure is truly commendable and unequivocally prevented a much more serious outcome.”
The crew involved transitioned to a backup apparatus after the accident and resumed normal duties.
Up to a quarter inch of ice was expected to accumulate in Missouri during the storm. The ice storm warning will remain in place for the state until 3 p.m. Central time.
“Roads, and especially bridges and overpasses, will likely become slick and hazardous,” the NWS warning said. “Power outages and tree damage are possible due to the ice. Travel could be nearly impossible.”
Uncommon Knowledge
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