Connecticut: Durham volunteer firefighter suing department, truck driver
A volunteer firefighter injured after being struck by an engine truck while fighting a fire on Edwards Road in Durham in April 2014 is suing the driver of the truck and the Durham Volunteer Fire Company in Middlesex Superior Court. Christopher Ziemba, a volunteer with the Durham Fire Company, says in the lawsuit that he was injured when an engine truck driven by fellow Durham firefighter Terence Finley struck and drove over him during a fire at 58 Edwards Road on April 23, 2014, according to court documents.
Firefighters from Durham, Middletown and Middlefield were called to the scene of the fire shortly after 7 p.m. according to reports at the time.
Ziemba exited the stopped fire truck while at the scene, according to the complaint filed Oct. 9, when “suddenly and without warning” Finley attempted to move the truck and struck and drove over Ziemba “with great force.” Reports indicated that Ziemba had suffered an ankle injury as a result of the accident.
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Firefighters were able to get the fire under control quickly, but there was significant damage to part of the home, including a bedroom. State police indicated at the time that they believed the fire could have been started by a candle. One of the homeowners was treated at Middlesex Hospital for burns.
Ziemba claims in his lawsuit that Finley was negligent and careless and did not keep the truck under control, was operating the truck at an unreasonable speed at the time of the accident, failed to keep a proper lookout and failed to sound his horn while backing up. As a result, he suffered a variety of injuries, including a right fibula fracture and right lower extremity pain and stiffness, according to the lawsuit.
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