One of those crashes involved the Worcester fire truck. Deputy Chief John F. Sullivan said Engine 2 was struck while performing a vital : acting as a buffer 400 feet behind another fire truck that was responding to a crash.
"It performed exactly the way it was supposed to perform," Deputy Chief Sullivan said of the safety system, which is recommended by national first responder safety guidelines. First responders are killed every year while tending to highway crashes, Deputy Chief Sullivan said. In this case, the driver of the buffer fire - the sole occupant of the vehicle - is expected to be OK after being taken to the hospital for back and neck .
Deputy Chief Sullivan said state police are investigating what led to the crash.