Rainy Conditions Cause Fire Truck to Slide Into Ditch During Call for Service

Earlier today, Josephine County Rural Metro reported that a Kia SUV caught fire under circumstances that remain unclear. Units from Rural Metro Fire’s Williams Hwy Station, dispatched by Grants Pass 911, responded to the scene and found the vehicle fully engulfed.

Despite the intensity of the blaze, firefighters successfully contained it, preventing the flames from spreading to nearby structures. Fortunately, no injuries were reported.

The situation presented an additional challenge due to the rain-saturated driveway, which gave way under the weight of the 29,000-pound vehicle, hindering the access of fire apparatus to the scene.

However, with the assistance of winch-equipped units, the truck was freed within an hour. Although the incident did not impede the firefighting efforts, it serves as a reminder to the community of potential delays during emergencies when heavy fire apparatus navigate rural roads and driveways affected by excessive moisture, such as rain and snow.

According to officials, the vehicle fire is currently under investigation.