COLUMBIA, S.C.— Authorities have identified the woman tragically killed in a weekend crash involving a Columbia-Richland fire truck. According to Richland County Coroner Naida Rutherford, 64-year-old Carolyn Collins, of Columbia, lost her life in the accident that occurred on Saturday, July 12, in the area of Two Notch Road near Decker Boulevard.
In a statement, Coroner Rutherford expressed condolences to the grieving family:
“Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family. We will continue working with the South Carolina Highway Patrol to fully investigate this collision.”
According to the South Carolina Highway Patrol (SCHP), the fire truck involved in the crash had its emergency lights and sirens activated and was en route to a fire on Bradfore Ridge Lane, where a lightning strike had sparked a blaze, damaging multiple homes in the neighborhood.
While responding to the emergency, the fire truck collided with a sedan, fatally injuring a passenger inside. The victim, later identified as Carolyn Collins, was pronounced dead at the scene. Collins, a resident of Columbia, is being remembered as a kind and gentle soul whose life was tragically cut short.
Four firefighters were also injured in the crash but have since been released from the hospital, according to Columbia-Richland Fire Chief Aubrey Jenkins, who noted the gravity of the incident:
“This is the first time since I’ve been chief that a department fire truck has been involved in a crash that resulted in a fatality.”
The South Carolina Highway Patrol is leading the investigation into the circumstances of the collision, while the Columbia-Richland Fire Department (CRFD) has launched an internal review.
As the community comes to terms with this devastating event, thoughts remain with the Collins family and all those affected. Further updates will be provided as the investigations progress.
Leave a Reply