Pacoima, CA — March 30, 2025, one person was killed and two others were injured in a truck accident at about 10:45 a.m. at West Bella Terra Street and San Fernando Road.

Authorities said a Toyota Corolla collided with a Los Angeles Fire Department truck on it was to a fire call. The fire truck had its emergency lights and sirens on at the time of the crash near Whiteman Airport.

The driver of the Toyota died after being transported to a local hospital, according to authorities. His name has not been made public yet.

Two firefighters suffered non-life-threatening injuries in the crash, authorities said.

Authorities have not released any additional information about the crash at this point. The accident is still under investigation.

Commentary

Crashes involving emergency vehicles, like the one in Pacoima, always bring up tough legal questions: chief among them, when is a driver allowed to disregard normal traffic rules, and what happens when that creates a deadly outcome? Just because a fire truck is responding to a call doesn’t mean it has blanket immunity from liability in a crash.

Under California law, emergency vehicles using lights and sirens are allowed certain privileges: passing through red lights, exceeding speed limits and disregarding stop signs. But even with those allowances, the law is clear: emergency vehicle operators must exercise due regard for the safety of all other road users. That’s the part people often overlook. Being on an emergency call doesn’t mean driving without consequences.

In this crash, a fire truck responding to a call collided with a Toyota Corolla, killing the car’s driver and injuring two firefighters. On its face, it sounds like the civilian driver may have entered the truck’s path. But the key legal question is: did the fire truck driver do everything reasonable to avoid the collision? That includes slowing down at intersections, ensuring cross-traffic is clear and using all available warnings like sirens and lights, which authorities say were in use.

In cases I’ve handled with emergency vehicles, it’s often necessary to get very specific with the evidence. Investigators should be pulling any available dashcam footage, GPS data showing vehicle speed and movement and witness statements from others on the road. These can show whether the fire truck entered the intersection cautiously or barreled through expecting others to yield instantly.

It’s also important to consider visibility and timing. Was the Toyota driver in a position to hear or see the truck in time? Was the intersection structured in a way that limited reaction time? Those are the kinds of facts that matter in evaluating fault.

Legally, this isn’t just about who had the right of way: it’s about how each driver exercised their duties under the circumstances. Emergency responders do critical work, but when a fatal crash occurs during that response, the law still requires a thorough review of whether all proper safety measures were followed. That’s the only way to fairly determine what went wrong so the victim's family has the answers it deserves.