BEAVER COUNTY —On Tuesday, troopers in Troop I of the Oklahoma Highway Patrol responded to an overturned Rosston fire truck during the Ranger Road wildfire between Rosston and Englewood, Kansas, according to a statement from the patrol..
Three firefighters were on board. Two were riding on the back of the truck as they navigated a smoke-filled pasture with extremely limited visibility.
The driver, unable to see through the dense smoke, drove into a burning canyon. The truck overturned, trapping the driver and ejecting the two firefighters who were riding on the rear.
After noticing a missing fire truck, fellow first responders searched for the fireman as every second counted. Once located, all three men were rescued from the burning canyon and transported by ambulance to a hospital. Each sustained serious injuries. The trapped driver suffered second-degree burns to his upper body.
"We are grateful for the fellow first responders who, like these brave Rosston firefighters, came from across the state to assist Oklahomans as this massive wildfire spread. They pushed flames back from homes, evacuated residents, and moved livestock for people they may never meet." the OHP wrote.
"Please keep these three firefighters in your thoughts as they recover, along with the men and women who continue responding to the ongoing wildfire threat."