8 injuries reported, airlifts requested as wildfire crew truck crashes on Orange County freeway

IRVINE, Calif. -- At slightest 8 Orange County firefighters returning from battling the Airport Fire were injured successful a rollover clang connected a freeway successful Irvine Thursday night.

Officials accidental six firefighters suffered large injuries and 2 others had insignificant injuries erstwhile the wildfire hand-crew motortruck overturned with 8 radical inside.

It seemingly was caused by a ladder that was successful lanes connected the 241 Freeway. A conveyance up of the occurrence motortruck swerved to debar the ladder and the motortruck swerved too, striking the guardrail connected the close enarthrosis and flipping over, according to the California Highway Patrol.

MORE: Wildfires scorch Southern California hillsides, burning homes and injuring 13

The injured firefighters were airlifted to assorted Orange County hospitals.

The clang happened connected the 241 adjacent the Tomato Springs Toll Plaza successful the Irvine country soon earlier 7 p.m.

AIR7 was implicit the scene, wherever the motortruck was connected its broadside with debris scattered crossed the roadway. Traffic was blocked connected the northbound broadside and backing up for miles.

MORE: SF SPCA rescues 60+ cats and dogs from Orange County shelters impacted by wildfire

No different vehicles were progressive successful the crash.

Signage connected the motortruck indicated it was an Orange County Fire Authority conveyance for Santiago handcrews.

Such wildfire crews are typically staffed by 20 firefighters. The determination of the clang is to the westbound of the monolithic Airport Fire, which has burned much than 23,000 acres since past week.

The firefighters were returning from a 12-hour displacement battling the Airport Fire, the OCFA says.

Two helicopters were requested for airlifts. Multiple ambulances were besides requested.

DEVELOPING: This communicative volition beryllium updated arsenic much details go available.