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FARMINGTON -- Centerville Police Lt. Paul Child said Thursday afternoon investigators did not believe there was any kind of mechanical error that led to the crash, though they were going to survey the vehicle further.
Child said the firefighters were in a tight spot before going over the side.
"The truck did go off to the side of the road after completing a turn," Child said. "As the truck made that turn, instead of straightening out on that narrow road, it continued off to the right and went down the embankment."
Farmington city manager Dave Millheim said the city recently bought two of the converted military vehicles, capable of taking firefighters to difficult-to-reach spots.
The area, Millheim said, has a history of wildfires. One on Sept. 15 forced the precautionary evacuation of four homes.
"We're used to being up here. We're used to dealing with these hills," Millheim said. "But it doesn't make it easy when something like this happens."
We need to all be cognizant that when you get off-road like this, you need to have the proper vehicle and the right training.
–- Lt. Paul Child
Police are using what happened to warn the adventurous -- especially heading into winter -- if it can happen to the pros during training, it can happen to anybody.
"We need to all be cognizant that when you get off-road like this, you need to have the proper vehicle and the right training," Child said.
Capt. Jed Done, Capt. Rick Wesche and paramedic Jay Barnum were pulled from the wreckage by their own colleagues. Done was flown to the Intermountain Medical Center with head injuries and the other two men were also injured and taken to area hospitals with less serious injuries. Both Wesche and Burnam were released and able to go home Thursday morning, and Done released Thursday afternoon.
All three firefighters were wearing seat belts in the vehicle when it rolled, he said.
Done and Wesche family members declined interviews Thursday.
Police are using what happened to warn the adventurous that if it can happen to the pros during training, it can happen to anybody.
"We need to all be cognizant that when you get off-road like this, you need to have the proper vehicle and the right training," said Lt. Paul Child, of Centerville Police.
UHP has been going over the scene and diagramming, trying to figure out exactly how this happened. Investigators are getting an account of what happened from the firefighters themselves. The city manager declined to talk about what they say happened until the investigation is complete.
Written byAndrew Adams and Wendy Leonard.
