FDNY Ladder 81 was responding to a car fire this afternoon when it struck a van full of developmentally disabled adults, tragically killing one occupant and sending 2 other occupants to the hospital in critical condition. The crash occurred at Richmond Road and Burgher Avenue in Staten Island.
The van’s 6 other occupants all suffered minor injuries, as did the 6 Firefighters in the truck.
Several witnesses claim the van was making a left turn off Burgher with the green light in its favor, the apparatus was using its siren and lights as it approached. The apparatus smashed into the rear of the van’s driver side and it spun the vehicle around 180 degrees with its tailgate hitting a concrete wall.
