Los Angeles Fire Truck Overturns in Sunland, Injuring 2 Firefighters
Two Los Angeles firefighters were hospitalized Tuesday evening after their fire engine lost control, overturned, and slammed into an H&R Block building on Foothill Boulevard in Sunland — all of it caught on surveillance video.
Surveillance cameras at a nearby restaurant captured the moment the fire engine apparently lost control while attempting a tight turn at seemingly high speed, causing it to overturn and careen into several parked cars, eventually coming to a stop on the sidewalk and against the H&R Block building in the 8200 block of Foothill Boulevard, near McVine Avenue.
The crash was reported at about 6:45 p.m. at 10500 N. McVine Ave., just south of Foothill Boulevard, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. Fire officials said firefighters were responding to a structure fire at the time.
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The Scene in Front of H&R Block in Sunland
The aftermath was chaotic. Aerial footage from AIR7 showed the fire engine on its side resting against the H&R Block building, partially on top of a car. Two parked cars were damaged and a third was pinned under the fire engine.
The overturned firetruck was resting on top of what appeared to be a dark-colored SUV that sustained serious visible damage. Footage posted to Citizen and captured by Sky5 showed a massive response by first responders, with at least a half-dozen fire engines and three ambulances at the scene. The crash also brought out crowds of onlookers and snarled traffic in the area.
It wasn’t just emergency vehicles and onlookers. Employees from a nearby Panda Express told reporters they had to evacuate. As cleanup and the investigation stretched on for hours, that restaurant and several others along the stretch of Foothill between McVine and Oro Vista avenues were forced to close early for the evening.
The Firefighters’ Injuries
The two injured firefighters were taken to a hospital to be treated for minor injuries. No other injuries were reported, the department said. No civilians were injured in the incident.
The LAFD said it is not releasing the names of the firefighters until their families have been notified. It was not immediately clear whether the H&R Block building sustained significant damage. The cause of the crash also was not disclosed.
Investigating the Fire Truck’s Rollover Crash
Los Angeles police are investigating to determine what caused the crash. That investigation matters — not just for accountability within the department, but for anyone whose property was damaged or who may have been placed in danger.
When a government vehicle causes a crash, liability questions don’t disappear simply because the driver was responding to an emergency. Under California law, emergency vehicles operating with lights and sirens active are granted certain legal exemptions — but those exemptions are not absolute. Negligent operation can still give rise to claims against the city, even when a crew is racing to save lives.
The video evidence here shows the truck’s speed and trajectory at the moment of the turn, and will be central to any investigation. Investigators will look at factors including vehicle speed, road conditions, driver experience, and whether proper protocols were followed during the emergency response.
LAFD is Stressed Already
This crash comes as the LAFD is already stretched thin during a demanding wildfire season across Southern California. Crews racing to structure fires at high speed through residential intersections face real risks — to themselves, to bystanders, and to property owners along those routes.
Three cars were damaged or destroyed in this incident. A commercial building was struck. A public street was shut down for hours. Those losses are real, and the people who suffered them have every right to understand what caused them and who bears responsibility.
Anyone whose vehicle was damaged, whose business was forced to close, or who witnessed the crash and suffered any injury should document everything — photos, receipts, witness contact information — and consult with an attorney experienced in municipal liability before accepting that their losses are simply the cost of living near an emergency route.
The investigation is ongoing. LAPD has not yet released a cause.