Newton firefighter injured when truck en route to fire is hit by pick-up

Daily Record

NEWTON —The town's assistant fire chief was injured after his ladder truck was struck by a pick-up truck as he was responding to a chimney fire on Sunday afternoon, police said.

The crash, which occurred at 4:12 p.m. at a three-way intersection, sent Assistant Fire Chief Jason Miller, 28, to the hospital and also injured the driver of the pick-up, Aaron Armstrong, 21, of Newton.

Police said Armstrong was heading south on Water Street in a 2007 Chevrolet Silverado pick-up truck when he hit the driver's side of a 1992 Grunman fire truck operated by Miller.

The ladder truck, which was traveling eastbound from Mill Street towards Trinity Street, was crossing Water with its emergency lights and siren activated en route to a chimney fire at the time, police said.

Miller, who complained of pain in his right hip and collarbone region, was taken to Newton Memorial Hospital by the Lakeland Emergency Squad for treatment and released.

Armstrong was also hospitalized after complaining of neck and head pain. Miller's three passengers--one in the front seat of the cab and two in the back--were evaluated at the scene, but refused medical treatment, police said.

Both vehicles, which were damaged in the crash, were towed from the scene. Newton Police Lt. Robert Osborn said the Chevy sustained front-end damage and its airbag deployed, while the ladder truck suffered damage to the driver's side rear door. It was unclear how fast Armstrong was traveling when the Chevy hit the ladder truck. The speed limit in the area is 25 miles per hour.

The Newton Fire Department called for back-up from Andover Township and Branchville, who sent ladder trucks to the blaze at the Woodside Avenue home, Osborn said.

Newton Fire Chief Derek Wechtler said the fire took about 20 minutes to extinguish, and the chimney sustained minor damage. No one on site was injured, he said.

The chief said the report of the blaze was received five minutes before Miller was involved in the crash. He spoke with Miller briefly after he was released from the hospital.

"He's a little sore from the accident but doing well," Wechtler said. The town was assessing the damage to the fire truck, and estimates were not available on Monday, he said.

No charges were issued, but the accident remains under investigation, Osborn said.

Anyone with information relating to the crash is asked to call Newton Police at (973) 383-2525.