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15 Injured After Firetrucks Collide, Smash Into LA Restaurant

A screen grab from CBS Los Angeles shows a firetruck after it smashed through the front of Lu's Dumpling House.
CBS Los Angeles
A screen grab from CBS Los Angeles shows a firetruck after it smashed through the front of Lu's Dumpling House.

Two firetrucks speeding toward the same blaze in a Los Angeles suburb collided, with one of the vehicles then plowing into a restaurant, injuring 15 people, including six firefighters.

Monterey Park Fire Chief Jim Birrell said trucks from his city and neighboring Alhambra were responding to a house fire shortly after 3 p.m. on Wednesday when they slammed into each other, according to The Associated Press.

The Los Angeles Times says:

"One person, described as a civilian who was inside Lu's Dumpling House, was critically injured, Birrell said. One firefighter suffered moderate injuries; the other injuries were described as minor.

"Nine of the patients were taken to Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center, a hospital spokesman said. Six others were wheeled to Garfield Medical Center, about 100 yards away from the crash site."

The San Gabriel Valley Tribune says:

"The Monterey Park engine was eastbound on Emerson Avenue just prior to the crash, and the Alhambra Fire Department ladder truck was southbound on Garfield Avenue, [California Highway Patrol] Officer Doris Peniche said."

Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

Scott Neuman is a reporter and editor, working mainly on breaking news for NPR's digital and radio platforms.