Two city employees were transported to the hospital after they were hit by a fire department vehicle while walking in Waukegan Thursday afternoon.
The incident happened around 3:15 p.m. Thursday at the intersection of Washington Street and Sheridan Road in Waukegan.
A city-owned Dodge Durango SUV with a low-profile emergency light system was being driven by an employee of the Waukegan Fire Department, according to a statement from the City of Waukegan.
The Dodge struck two pedestrians, who are City of Waukegan employees.
The driver of the Dodge was attempting to turn left from eastbound Washington Street onto northbound Sheridan Road.
The traffic signal for the Dodge was a green light when the vehicle turned, the statement said.
The fire department employee was not responding to an emergency call at the time of the crash.
The Waukegan Fire Department employee, who is a trained emergency medical technician, exited the unmarked city-owned vehicle he was driving to administer aid to the pedestrians, the statement said.
The two pedestrians sustained “mild to moderate” injuries.
They were transported by ambulance to a local hospital for treatment and have been released.
The Waukegan Fire Department employee involved is fully cooperating with the ongoing investigation, the statement said.
The employee submitted a voluntary urine and blood draw. It is not believed that alcohol was involved.
The fire department employee has 21 years of service with the department.
The statement said that a preliminary investigation indicates visibility was a factor in the incident. “The vehicle was traveling from bright sunlight into a shaded area.”
Officials did not say whether the two pedestrians were in the crosswalk or not.
The incident remains under investigation by the Waukegan Police Major Crash Unit.