Several injured as rescue truck crashes into home after collision with Jeep
The vehicle was operated by the Thiells Fire Department and was heading to the West Haverstraw Marina when the crash happened on Railroad Avenue.
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An emergency rescue truck crashed into an occupied home shortly after midnight while responding to a reported boating accident near the Hudson River in West Haverstraw.
Police said the Thiells Fire Department underwater search and rescue truck was heading east on Railroad Avenue and crossing Route 9W when it collided with a white Jeep traveling north on Route 9W.
Investigators said a 17-year-old was driving the Jeep.
The collision sent the rescue truck down a hill and into a single-family home on Railroad Avenue.
A family, including young children, was inside the home at the time of the crash.
One adult from the home was taken to a hospital. Police said four to five first responders who were inside the rescue truck were also transported to hospitals, along with the Jeep's driver. Authorities said all of the injured are expected to recover and some have already been released.
The Rockland County Fire Collapse Team was called in to help rescue residents and stabilize the structure.
"It moved the house off the foundation. The upper rooms are cracked, your back wall cracked so it's structurally unsound," said Fred Viohl, West Haverstraw's building and fire inspector. Viohl says it is not yet clear whether the home can be saved.
Officials said the family had moved into the house about six months ago after completing a full renovation.
Police issued the 17-year-old driver a ticket for operating a vehicle after dark with a junior license.
Officials said the incident could have been much worse because a Fourth of July celebration held nearby earlier in the evening had drawn large crowds and heavy traffic to the area.
The road was temporarily closed following the crash but has since reopened.
