A chain-reaction crash in Gravesend on Tuesday evening left a 78-year-old Access‑A‑Ride passenger dead and at least 10 others injured after a commercial van collided with an FDNY truck that had its lights and sirens on. The force of the impact sent the fire truck into a paratransit van and a Lexus SUV, and the elderly passenger later died at the hospital. Multiple firefighters and motorists were taken to nearby medical centers, and police said the wreck unfolded around 6:45 p.m.
What Happened
Video circulating online shows the FDNY rig traveling east on Avenue S when a white commercial van entered the intersection at West 11th Street and struck it, according to CBS News New York. The collision pushed the fire truck into an Access‑A‑Ride vehicle, which then hit a Lexus SUV, NBC New York reported. Police said no arrests had been made and crews cleared the intersection after treating the injured.
Victims and Response
Emergency crews transported five FDNY members to local hospitals, and the drivers of both the commercial van and the Lexus were also treated, according to ABC7 New York. The Access‑A‑Ride operator and three passengers were taken to NYC Health + Hospitals/South Brooklyn Health, where one 78-year-old passenger from that vehicle later died, the station reported. The commercial van driver was taken to NYU Langone Brooklyn, and officials said those injured were listed in stable condition.
Witness Accounts
The owner of the commercial van told the station his employee was seriously shaken and insisted the vehicle had a green light when it entered the intersection. "Very bad tragedy for my worker. Going to pass the green light and the fire truck without the sirens had the red light, hit my truck," Michael Liu told ABC7 New York. Neighbors described hearing a loud boom and said officers had to pry open the paratransit van’s door to reach passengers, according to the station.
Investigation
The NYPD said it is investigating the collision and has not released the cause of death, NBC New York reported. Officials said the FDNY vehicle’s lights and sirens were reported to be active at the time, but authorities have not confirmed whether the truck was responding to an active 911 call.
Context
The crash highlights the risks at busy residential intersections where large emergency rigs, paratransit vans and private vehicles all jockey for space. Hoodline previously reported on Access‑A‑Ride safety concerns and vendor oversight issues that help explain why collisions involving paratransit vehicles draw such intense scrutiny.
