A 79-year-old Wichita man died Tuesday, Oct. 27, after his car collided with a fire engine at a southeast Wichita intersection.
Police were notified of the crash at about 8:49 a.m. James Mattson was driving a black Honda CR-V west on Lincoln Street and attempting to turn south onto Greenwich Road when Wichita Fire Department Engine 20 struck the driver side of his vehicle, according to a Wichita Police Department media advisory. The engine had its emergency lights and siren activated while heading north on Greenwich Road, responding to a call for a person experiencing difficulty breathing.
Mattson was transported to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
The collision forced both vehicles off the roadway and into a black Dodge Ram pickup, the police department said. The pickup driver was not hurt. Four firefighters aboard Engine 20 reported no injuries.
KAKE also reported the fire engine struck the driver side of the CR-V, citing WPD Capt. Aaron Moses, a department spokesperson. Moses told KSN that the initial collision sent the vehicles off the road and into the Dodge Ram.
Wichita Fire Chief Michael Mire told KSN the four firefighters were shaken but uninjured. "They are greatly concerned for the deceased and the family," Mire said.
Mire joined Wichita earlier this year after serving with the Houston Fire Department since 2002, according to Firehouse.com.
The Wichita Police Department's Critical Accident Team is leading the investigation with assistance from the Kansas Highway Patrol.
Anyone with information about the crash who has not spoken with investigators can call 316-350-3689. The case number is 26C206641.
