Update: Medical episode caused truck crash into Clovis home that caught fire, police said
UPDATE: Clovis police said Friday the driver suffered a medical episode that led to the crash into the home. Both the driver and passenger remained in critical condition on Friday.
ORIGINAL STORY: Two people were transported to the hospital with injuries after a box truck struck a house and ruptured a gas line Wednesday in Clovis, a fire official said.
The truck went into the empty house around 8:15 a.m. on Eighth Street west of Pollasky Avenue.
The driver and a passenger were both burned, but it was not immediately clear how severe their injuries were, Fire Chief John Binaski said. The driver’s injuries were worse than the passenger’s, he said.
No one was home at the time of the crash that sheared the home’s gas meter, he said.
Because the truck was over the meter, crews could not reach it to shut it off. Flames shot into the truck as PG&E worked to shut off the line.
Officials could not immediately say what led the truck to leave the roadway.
Workers were able to get to the gas line at about 9:40 a.m. after using jackhammers and heavy equipment to cut into the alley near the home.
The fire burned as firefighters doused it with water for about 90 minutes before the gas was shut off.
A man who lives in the neighborhood said the home had recently been refurbished and was used as a short-term rental. Officials said they could not immediately confirm details on the home.
This story was originally published January 11, 2023 at 9:10 AM.
