Neville Paul, Gleaner Writer

Black River, St. Elizabeth: Five firefighters were injured Thursday night in St. Elizabeth when the truck in which they were travelling crashed along the Maggotty/Newton main road.

The fire truck is one of the new units which were recently acquired by the Government.On reaching a section of the Maggotty/ Newton road in the vicinity of the Jamaica Public Service Company hydro station, the back of the truck, which houses the tank and equipment compartment, became dislodged.

This caused the driver to lose control of the unit, which crashed into the right embankment, skidded, and then crashed into the left embankment.

Rushed to hospital

Five of the six firefighters who were aboard the unit received injuries and were rushed to the Black River Hospital by passersby.

Up to late last night the condition of the firefighters was unknown.

The accident caused a major pileup of traffic along the road, resulting in several articulated units hauling cane to Appleton Estate being delayed.

Several motorists who arrived on the scene blamed the National Works Agency for failing to take corrective measures along the roadway which they say has been proving difficult to negotiate during and after rains.

This was the second accident to have occurred along that road over 24 hours. On Wednesday, a trailer hauling cane to Appleton Estate overturned in the vicinity of the Maggotty Falls, spilling several tonnes of cane along the roadway, resulting in a pileup of traffic.