Pennsylvania Fire Trucks Collide, Five Hurt

As they scurried to answer a downed-wires call, Paradise firefighters collided late Sunday afternoon.

One of the company's fire engines - which was already heading to the call on Belmont Road - collided on Route 30 with a vehicle bringing more firefighters to the Paradise fire station, Lancaster state police said.

Five firefighters were injured and taken to Lancaster General Hospital from the 4:23 p.m. crash at the Blackhorse Road intersection, just east of the fire house, Trooper Kevin Reed reported.

Two of the firefighters, Dennis Groff, 62, and Henry Fisher, 63, both of Paradise, were listed in fair condition this morning. The other three, Levi Fisher, 37, Paradise; Jamie Knosp, 33, Ronks; and Josh Knosp, 22, Paradise, were treated and released.

"It could have been a lot worse,'' said Stacey Herman, who is a member of the Paradise fire-police and wife of Paradise Fire Chief Robert Herman.

"He (the fire engine driver) did good defensive driving. It was a side impact rather than a direct t-bone crash,'' she said.

This is what happened, according to Trooper Reed:

Carl Hall, 36, was driving the fire engine east on Route 30. He had just left the fire station, and five firefighters were riding with him in the 1988 Grumman truck. They included Jamie and Josh Knosp.

Groff was driving a 2007 Chevrolet Silverado north on Blackhorse Road. He and firefighters Henry and Levi Fisher, who were his passengers, were heading to the fire house to gather their gear in case another engine crew was needed at the scene.

Groff knew the location of the call and thought the fire engine would turn south from Route 30 onto Blackhorse Road to get to the scene.

Anticipating the turn, Groff pulled his Silverado onto Route 30 in order to get out of the way and give the engine driver more room to turn.

But the fire engine did not turn. It continued heading east on Route 30, and Groff pulled directly into its path, Reed said.

The front passenger-side of the fire engine collided with the front driver-side corner of the Silverado, Reed said. After impact, both vehicles came to rest in the middle of Route 30, facing east.

Rescue and ambulance crews from the Paradise/Ronks/Gordonville area responded. Groff had to be freed from the Silverado, which had severe damage and required towing. Damage to the fire engine was listed as light.

"Everybody was in a lot of shock,'' Herman said of the Paradise firefighters.

Herman said Bart firefighters answered the downed-wires call, which apparently happened when a tree fell during the windy afternoon.

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