4 firefighters injured in Valley Glen crash involving LAFD fire engine

VALLEY GLEN, LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Four firefighters were injured when the driver of a Los Angeles Fire Department fire engine suffered a medical emergency, lost control and crashed the fire truck into five parked cars in Valley Glen early Wednesday.

The fire engine knocked down a pair of power poles near the intersection of Burbank Boulevard and Woodman Avenue around 2:30 a.m., department spokeswoman Margaret Stewart said. The firefighters were responding to an emergency call when the crash occurred.

"It sounded like a bomb went off, a loud explosion, came to the front, saw my car was missing. It was like 30 feet over," said Daniel Matian, whose car was damaged in the crash.

The fallen wires set a liquor store on fire and knocked out power to hundreds of LADWP customers in the Valley Glen and surrounding Sherman Oaks area. The fire was quickly doused, Stewart said.

Three firefighters were treated at the scene, and the fourth firefighter, the driver, was transported to a local hospital in serious condition. All four firefighters were later released from the hospital.

Burbank Boulevard was temporarily closed in both directions between Woodman and Buffalo avenues as LADWP crews worked to de-energize the live wires and restore power to at least 530 customers.