On Monday, June 30, 2008 at 11:01 AM, 7 Companies of Los Angeles Firefighters, 8 LAFD Rescue Ambulances, 1 Heavy Rescue, 1 Urban Search and Rescue Unit, 3 EMS Battalion Captains, 1 Battalion Chief Officer Command Team, 1 Division Chief Officer Command Team, under the direction of Deputy Chief Jeffery S. Mottram responded to a mult-patient traffic collision on the Southbound 405 (San Diego) Freeway near Burbank Boulevard in Sherman Oaks.

Firefighters arrived quickly to find 5 vehicles involved in a traffic accident, that stretched across all lanes of the southbound 405 freeway. One of the vehicles involved was a private ambulance that fortunately, was not transporting a patient at the time of the incident.

Firefighters worked diligently to immediately assess and triage a total of seven patients. One male, in his 50's, was transported in critical condition. A mother, and her young daughter, were transported with minor injuries, along with two additional females, ranging in age from 25 to 60. Both women sustained minor injuries and were transported to a local hospital. The two male ambulance attendants were treated on the scene and declined transport to the hospital. The cause of the accident is being investigated by The California Highway Patrol.

Submitted by Melissa Kelley
Los Angeles Fire Department