Firefighters Trapped by Falling Tree — Responding to Tree on Vehicle [Photo]

By Robert Lopez, News & Record, Greensboro, N.C.

RANDLEMAN, NC — A Randleman Fire Department truck was damaged this morning when a tree fell on top of it.

The truck was responding to a report of a tree falling on a vehicle shortly after 3 a.m. today on Worthville Road.

Emergency personnel were cutting the tree from the vehicle when another tree fell on the truck.

Two firefighters were inside were trapped for about 45 minutes when the incident occurred.

“It did have power lines involved, and we didn’t want those two to get off for safety reasons,” Fire Marshal Michael Smith said. “So they were stuck there for about 45 minutes.”

Randleman Public Works came out and assisted in cutting the tree from the truck.

The two firefighters were uninjured.

Worthville Road has been cleared.

Smith said the truck still runs and that firefighters were able to drive it back to the station, but he doesn’t have a full estimation of the damage yet.

“We haven’t had an opportunity to look and see what may or may not be broken,” he said.

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