18-Wheeler Crashes Into Fire Truck, Highway Patrol Car On LIE

DIX HILLS, NY – A fire truck and a Highway Patrol car responding to a two-car crash were struck by an 18-wheel tractor trailer on Tuesday morning on the Long Island Expressway, police say.

According to authorities, Suffolk County Police Highway Patrol officers and Dix Hills firefighters were tending to the scene of a crash, near eastbound Exit 51 in Dix Hills, when the tractor-trailer struck the rear of the fire engine, which was occupied by several firefighters, at 12:25 a.m.

The tractor-trailer then jackknifed and struck the police car, police say.

A firefighter was taken to Huntington Hospital to be treated for minor injuries while a Highway Patrol officer and the truck driver were taken to Good Samaritan Medical Center in West Islip to be treated for minor injuries.

The truck driver was issued a summons for failure to move over for stopped emergency vehicles.

Dix Hills Fire Chief Tom Napolitano commended the members of his department who were involved at the scene. "All of our members stepped up and assisted in every way possible with dedication and professionalism during an extremely unfortunate situation," he said in a statement. "Through our training and safety guidelines, all members of service are OK and safe. A truck can be replaced but the life our members can not. Thank you to all the neighboring departments that have offered assistance and well wishes."

The NYS Department of Environmental Conservation responded to the scene to clean up a fuel spill.

Photo Courtesy Dix Hills Fire Department