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Seven Injured In Wreck Involving County Fire Chief
February 14, 2013
Escambia County’s fire chief was involved in a four vehicle crash late Wednesday afternoon that injured seven people.
The Florida Highway Patrol said Fire Chief Patrick Grace was responding to a house fire with lights sirens activated. Troopers said he stopped before entered the intersection of Fairfield Drive and W Street with a steady red light.
Oncoming traffic on eastbound inside lane of Fairfield Drive was stopped when 73-year old Randolph W. Scurry of Pensacola entered the intersection with a green light, striking the side of the fire chief’s SUV, which then struck a third vehicle that rolled into fourth.
The crash remains under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol.
Pictured: Escambia County’s fire chief was involved in this four vehicle crash Wednesday afternoon in Pensacola. Photos courtesy WEAR 3 for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Comments
13 Responses to “Seven Injured In Wreck Involving County Fire Chief”
“WELL” …..I would assume that maybe the lights from the chief’s vehicle were turned off after the accident?!? Just because they were off in the picture, doesn’t mean they were off the whole time. I agree with some of the other comments here. PEOPLE DON’T PAY ENOUGH ATTENTION WHILE DRIVING! And, just about every time I’ve yielded for a public safety vehicle either I’ve been hit or the vehicle with sirens blowing and lights glowing has been ignored and almost hit, too.
73 ? The guy could be a Veteran who is deaf or has a hearing impairment. Jus’ sayin’.
With so much wireless stuff these days, it shouldn’t be a huge deal for some kind of system that had Emergency Vehicles putting out a signal that would effectively turn all traffic lights red or maybe we put a blue flashing light on the bottom of the light?
Between people with hearing problems and people with loud radios, it’s a wonder we don’t have more accidents.
Why would he deactivate his lights after he was hit and blocking the intersection?
See the picture.
I operate both fire and EMS apparatus and have nearly been hit numerous times crossing through intersections even though I cross defensively. If you look at the damage on Chief Grace’s staff vehicle you can see that he was nearly clear of the intersection when he was hit. He could have never seen the vehcile that hit him unless he was looking in his mirror instead of making sure the lanes ahead of him were clear to proceed.
Read the article again people. The Chief did everything correct. Traffic had stopped to allow him to cross. The driver that hit him is the only one that failed to yield to an emergency vehicle.
And if you would READ the article you would see that all other traffic looked like it had stopped for the Chief when he came to the intersection. How many times has someone come blasting through and nto payiong any attention to what everyone else is doing? “Huh, I guess they all stopped to let me go by. What is that weird wailing sound?”.
From what the article says the Chief DID us due regard, but was blindsided by an unnatentive driver.
@LEO GUY. I find your comments strangely amusing considering that we read about a deputy being involved in a traffic accident about once per month here on average. How often do the fireguys get into accidents? Seems like one of the two public safety departments could use remedial driving skills classes going by that stat alone. Or they could just do like one of the deputies and stay parked under the oak tree at the church across from the papermill for the whole shift. No accidents that way.
As a Firefighter the type of driving that likely caused this accident isn’t justified for any reason. I have heard there was someone possibly trapped in the building and full understand how critical that is. However, by not giving due regard to safety and other motorist the Chief never arrived to help that person nor did the Engine that had to stay behind for the accident. This just further delayed help a trapped person could have received had it been the case. Your no good to anyone if you never arrive on scene to help them!
Dang the red light, out of my way! There’s a fire!
Whoops, dang the red light send a ambulance, now there’s a wreck!
Safe driving applys to everyone. :-/
I agree dw. People refuse to stop move over or whatever they need to do to let these emergenct vehicles by. It’s really a sad situation. Everyone is in such a hurry to usually go no where that is so important that a couple of minutes would make a difference. Thee should be severe consequences for these people that refuse to move. Guarntee you thet would want the ambulance or firetruck if it were his family and pronto. Stiff tickets just like the car seat one. That kind of money might make people think.
That has always been terrible intersection, especially in the rain. When I used to work down that way, I ALWAYS dreaded that spot. Hope everyone involved will be okay.
People fail to yeild to sirens.
Turn those radios down and pay attention.
They may be going to assist one of your own.
Wet roads are always bad for drivers. Hope everyone is OK.