8 injured, 3 seriously, when 2 NJ firetrucks collide

PATERSON, N.J. (AP) — A pair of firetrucks collided while responding to a blaze in New Jersey over the weekend, injuring eight firefighters, three of them seriously, authorities said.

Officials in Paterson said the firetrucks were responding at about 5:30 p.m. Saturday to a blaze at a Targets Closeout store when they collided at an intersection. The crash sent one firetruck into a tree and the other into a supermarket.

Eight firefighters were taken to St. Joseph's University Medical Center. Chief Brian McDermott of the Paterson fire department told NorthJersey.com that the three most seriously injured were in stable condition with “non-life-threatening" injuries.

Jerry Speziale, the city’s public safety director, said no one in the supermarket was injured. The fire at the store was brought under control without injuries. McDermott said a preliminary investigation indicates that it may have been started by lithium-ion batteries in the store.