Crime & Safety
Firefighter Injured In Route 17 Truck Fire
Flames broke out in back of pickup truck; backed up traffic on Route 17
By Patch Editor Jessica Mazzola
A Mahwah firefighter was hurt while responding to a pick-up truck fire that caused a traffic jam on northbound Route 17 Thursday night, officials said.
According to Fire Chief Ed Garza, the firefighter was injured while cleaning up after the flames broke out in the back end of a Nissan Frontier around 6:20 p.m.
"He was cleaning up and apparently there was something [in the truck] that was battery operated that exploded and caused a flash fire in his face," Garza said. "Luckily, he had his glasses on."
Mahwah Ambulance workers checked the firefighter at the scene, and said he'd later be taken to the hospital to ensure he did not receive any serious eye injuries. Emergency responders at the scene called the injury minor.
The driver of the car, who officials said had borrowed it from a friend, was not injured, Garza said.
The fire, which was fully involved in the back of the truck before it was put out, backed up traffic on route 17 North from the Hytorc building into Ramsey.
The truck was still being cleared from the scene at 7 p.m.
A Mahwah firefighter was hurt while responding to a pick-up truck fire that caused a traffic jam on northbound Route 17 Thursday night, officials said.
According to Fire Chief Ed Garza, the firefighter was injured while cleaning up after the flames broke out in the back end of a Nissan Frontier around 6:20 p.m.
"He was cleaning up and apparently there was something [in the truck] that was battery operated that exploded and caused a flash fire in his face," Garza said. "Luckily, he had his glasses on."
Mahwah Ambulance workers checked the firefighter at the scene, and said he'd later be taken to the hospital to ensure he did not receive any serious eye injuries. Emergency responders at the scene called the injury minor.
The driver of the car, who officials said had borrowed it from a friend, was not injured, Garza said.
The fire, which was fully involved in the back of the truck before it was put out, backed up traffic on route 17 North from the Hytorc building into Ramsey.
The truck was still being cleared from the scene at 7 p.m.
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