A new Pierce fire truck crashed and was destroyed Thursday afternoon, possibly as a result of a vehicle defect, according to a Colorado State Police report.
The 105-ft. ladder truck was headed to Fort Collins, Colorado for a sales demonstration.
According to the accident report, the truck was driving northbound on I-25 near the off ramp for highway 60 when the driver lost control. The truck rotated clockwise, ran off the right side of the highway, struck a road sign, went down an embankment and rolled over one and one quarter times, coming to rest on the driver's side.
The cab separated completely from the chassis and came to rest on the northbound off ramp. The report did not state the cause of the accident but said the vehicle had a "possible defect."
Pierce Manufacturing spokeswoman Kirsten Skyba said officials from the Department of Transportation also investigated the accident scene and reported that a blown tire or tires was responsible for the crash. She said Pierce officials are unaware of any other "possible defect." Skyba said Pierce is doing its own investigation into the cause of the crash along with Michelin, the maker of the tires on the truck.
The driver, Marc Faluotico of Broomfield, sustained only minor injuries in the accident. According to the Greely Tribune, Faluotico, 29, was working as a salesman for Front Range Fire Apparatus, a fire truck dealer based in Boulder, and is also an engineer for the Westminster Fire Department. After the crash he was taken to McKee Medical Center in Loveland for observation.
Pierce salesman Jim Wolfinger, who was trailing Faluotico in another fire truck at the time of the accident, told the Greely Tribune that "He said he lost control. He felt something go wrong.
