A Fire Department 4-wheel drive Jeep brush unit was involved in a single vehicle crash around 2:15 PM, Wednesday, November 12. Fortunately, there were no injuries, however, the vehicle was destroyed by the fire it was responding to extinguish. The 1978 CJ5 Jeep, designed to battle outside fires in difficult off-road terrain and wooded areas, responded from the Baden Fire/EMS Station to a reported field fire in the 16300 Block of Aquasco Road in Aquasco.

A hay baler had accidentally ignited dry hay and the fire started to quickly spread. As the brush unit approached the scene, smoke from the fire was lying close to the ground. The smoke obscured the view of the driver and a large rolled bale of hay was in the path of the unit. The brush unit, with two seat-belted firefighters on-board, struck the bale and rolled onto its side directly into the seat of the field fire. The vehicle quickly was overcome by the fire, however, both firefighters escaped unharmed. Additional units responded to the scene to extinguish the fire.

As is standard procedure, the operator of the vehicle went through a post accident substance screening. The vehicle is considered a total loss.