The first incident was a vehicle fire. As firefighters were doing traffic control for that around 2:30 a.m., a tractor-trailer, which failed to see the emergency vehicles with their lights activated, tried to make a sudden lane change and crashed, according to state police.  

The tractor-trailer hit two fire vehicles, a fire truck and a Chevrolet Equinox, before going off the road and into a ditch. Six firefighters, five from West Hanover Fire and 1 from East Hanover Fire, were taken to Hershey Medical Center with what were described as non-life threatening injuries.

Just before 10 a.m., the fire truck was responding to a call with its emergency lights on when it was struck. Four firefighters were taken to a hospital to be checked out.  

Four firefighters were taken to a hospital to be checked out.DeGeorge said their injuries did not appear serious.

According to Fire Chief Roberto Rojas, the department has not had a new customized truck in about 30 years. It comes equipped with all the latest technology including a larger tank to fight the toughest of fires.

Once the money is approved, and city administration gives the OK to make the purchase, it’s just a matter of making a phone call to get the ball rolling in having the city’s newest fire engine built, Fire Chief Guy Santone said.  

“It’s all spec’d out and ready to go,” Santone said, adding that he hopes to see the new rig put in service by summer.

The truck the city fire bureau wants to buy is a Pierce Manufacturing rescue pumper. The 1999 Kovatch Mobile Equipment rig it will replace as the front-line vehicle at Engine Co. 6 will become a reserve truck at the station.