Fort Worth Fire Truck Struck on Highway responding to an Accident

FORT WORTH, Texas — Around 3:30 a.m. Sunday, Fort Worth Fire Department Engines 5 and 14 were dispatched to a single-vehicle crash near the U.S. 287 interchange southeast of downtown — a routine call that nearly ended in tragedy.

After initially being unable to locate the wreck, Engine 14 found the scene while circling back toward the station. The crew positioned the apparatus at a 45-degree angle to protect the scene from oncoming traffic — a standard lifesaving maneuver used to shield first responders and motorists.

Moments after the last firefighter stepped off the truck, a northbound vehicle slammed into Engine 14. The impact was violent and immediate. Fort Worth Fire officials said the engine’s positioning likely prevented multiple fatalities.

The two occupants of the truck that struck the engine were trapped and had to be extricated by the same firefighters they nearly hit. Both were transported to a local hospital. The driver from the original crash was uninjured, and no firefighters were hurt.

“This could have easily been another headline announcing the deaths of our first responders — men and women who were simply doing their jobs,” said a spokesperson for Slow Down Move Over, Inc., a national nonprofit advocating for roadside safety. “Every single one of these incidents is preventable. Every one. Yet here we are again, only luck separating this from a funeral.”

The organization is calling for stronger enforcement of Move Over laws, tougher penalties for violations, and broader public education about distracted and impaired driving.

“Firefighters, police officers, tow truck operators, and DOT workers are being struck and killed at an alarming rate because too many drivers simply do not care enough to lift their foot off the accelerator or shift one lane over,” the spokesperson said. “This behavior is reckless, it’s selfish, and it’s deadly.”

According to Fort Worth Fire officials, Engine 14’s emergency lights were clearly visible, fully illuminating the roadway. “Darkness is never an excuse. Distraction is never a justification. Complacency kills,” the spokesperson added.

The department reiterated its plea for drivers to remain alert: slow down, move over, and respect emergency lights.

“We know how lucky our crews were last night,” Fort Worth Fire officials said. “Luck should never be the strategy for survival.”

All Photos provide by Slow Down Move Over, Inc.