DENVER (KDVR) — Two people have died after the car they were in was involved in a crash on Saturday involving a Denver Fire truck at the intersection of Speer Boulevard and Broadway.
The incident happened around 1:30 p.m. when DFD says the engine had sirens and lights on and had slowed to clear the intersection heading to a call of smoke in a building on Kalamath and 14th.
Rescue One collided with a sedan and the firefighters in the truck immediately jumped out to extricate the victims that were trapped, officials reported.
The driver of the car, 38-year-old Monica Charles, and two other victims were transported to the hospital where Charles was pronounced dead. The second deceased victim is 53-year-old Debra Williams.
FOX31 has confirmed that Charles is Williams’ daughter.
“The entire Denver Fire Department extends our thoughts and prayers to the family and friends of the victims of this tragic accident,” Fire Chief Desmond Fulton said. “We are committed to cooperating fully with this investigation and are hopeful to prevent this type of tragedy from occurring in the future.”
There has been only one other fatal crash involving a DFD vehicle in the last 10 years. Mayor Michael Hancock was notified of the incident immediately after it happened and Denver police are investigating.
“Just like on any emergency response, we have opticoms at some intersections. And DPD is looking into the working ability of the opticoms of this particular incident,” Fulton said. “Nonetheless we do have steps that we take, precautions. We clear intersections but then again things like this tragically happen.”
The investigation determined the Denver fire vehicle was responding with emergency lights and sirens activated, according to Denver police.