A Waterloo Regional Police officer was airlifted to a Hamilton hospital following a collision involving her cruiser and two fire trucks outside Cambridge.
The collision, which occurred around 4:45 p.m. Tuesday, at Dundas Street and Morrison Road, left the officer trapped in the cruiser and one Cambridge fire truck in a ditch along the road.
All three vehicles were responding to a fire call further into North Dumfries, on Seaton Road.
Five firefighters suffered minor injuries in the collision, but aided the police officer in the cruiser.
“Even though they were involved in a collision and suffered injuries, they immediately ran from their fire truck to provide immediate care,” Police Chief Bryan Larkin told CTV News.
“It’s a joint effort with us. It’s not just one agency doing the work, it’s all three agencies working together to accomplish a common goal,” Chief Neil Main, with the Cambridge Fire Department said.
An air ambulance landed at the scene around 5:20 p.m. to transport the police officer to Hamilton General Hospital in critical condition.
Shortly after 6 p.m., a police spokesperson said that the officer was conscious in hospital and experiencing back pain.
Her condition has been upgraded to serious but non-life threatening injuries.
“The officer is in good spirits, and very grateful for all the warm wishes from the community as well from our emergency services and from across our organization,” Larkin said Wednesday.
Five firefighters were taken to hospital to be treated for minor injuries.
The cause of the crash has not been determined.
It will be investigated by the OPP, as it occurred on an OPP-patrolled road.
There is no word on if charges will be laid.
Officials with the North Dumfries fire department say the crash did not affect fire crews' ability to fight the fire on Seaton Road, which damaged part of a house.