A road traffic accident on the RD 17, involving a single light vehicle, required the SDIS 13 fire brigade to attend the scene on Thursday, shortly after 5.00 pm, in the town of La Barben.
At 5.43 pm, just as a slightly injured victim was about to be taken to the local hospital – and for reasons yet to be determined by the police – a second light vehicle collided with the fire service ambulance at the scene, despite the presence of a road emergency vehicle marking out the area for the operation.
Firefighters 13.
Four firefighters were injured, two of them seriously, as were the two drivers of the light vehicles. However, none of the injuries are life-threatening.
The prefect visited the scene
The operations centre – CODIS 13 – then deployed numerous emergency resources to attend to all the victims, namely: six ambulances, two road rescue vehicles, the chain of command, two medical vehicles and a medical helicopter, totalling around forty firefighters and healthcare staff.
Richard Mallié, the chairman of SDIS 13, along with senior fire service officers, visited the scene of the accident to support the emergency services. Pierre Dartout, Prefect of Bouches-du-Rhône, who was on an official visit to Salon-de-Provence, went to the local hospital to visit the injured #firefighters.
The CUMP is taking action
A medical and psychological emergency response team (CUMP) has been deployed to the fire station from which the injured firefighters come, in order to provide their colleagues with all the necessary support.
On their Facebook page on Friday, all staff at the Bouches-du-Rhône Fire and Rescue Service (SDIS 13) wished the four injured officers a speedy recovery.