Polk County Fire Rescue Ambulance Involved in Fatal Crash While Responding to Emergency

📸 Photos: Polk County Fire Rescue

By: Ciara Perez | Investigative Journalist | iSkyNews.com (ISC News)

Published October 7th, 2025

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BREAKING: Polk County Fire Rescue Ambulance Involved in Fatal Crash While Responding to Emergency

WINTER HAVEN, Fla. (October 7, 2025) — A tragic crash Tuesday morning involving a Polk County Fire Rescue ambulance responding to an emergency has left one person dead and temporarily shut down a busy roadway in Winter Haven.

According to officials with Polk County Fire Rescue (PCFR) and the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, the fatal collision occurred around 10:00 a.m. on Spirit Lake Road, just south of Winter Haven city limits.

The PCFR unit was reportedly running lights and sirens while en route to an unrelated emergency call when it became involved in a three-vehicle crash. The ambulance collided with at least one passenger vehicle under still-undetermined circumstances.

🚨 One Fatality, Two First Responders Injured

Upon arrival, additional fire rescue personnel discovered the driver of a red Chevrolet Monte Carlo—the second vehicle involved—unresponsive and trapped inside their vehicle. Crews confirmed that the driver was deceased on the scene.

Polk County Fire Rescue’s Special Operations Team was dispatched to assist with the extrication process, which required specialized hydraulic tools to remove the crushed vehicle from beneath the heavy front end of the ambulance.

The third vehicle’s driver was unharmed in the crash.

The two firefighter-paramedics inside the ambulance at the time of the incident were transported to a nearby hospitalfor medical evaluation. They were later treated and released, according to a PCFR spokesperson.

🛑 Roadway Shut Down for Several Hours

Spirit Lake Road was closed for several hours Tuesday while the crash scene was processed, debris was cleared, and a full investigation by the Polk County Sheriff's Office Traffic Homicide Unit began. The road has since reopened to normal traffic.

Photos from the scene show the force of the collision, with the PCFR ambulance sustaining significant front-end damage, resting against a heavily crushed red coupe near the roadside tree line. Fire trucks, extrication tools, helmets, and crews surrounded the wreckage as investigators placed evidence markers along the roadway.

💬 Official Statement

In a brief statement, a Polk County Fire Rescue representative expressed condolences and gratitude for the community’s patience:

“This is a heartbreaking day for everyone involved. We extend our deepest sympathies to the family of the individual who lost their life, and we’re grateful that our medics are safe and recovering.”

The identity of the deceased driver has not yet been released, pending next of kin notification.

🕵️ Ongoing Investigation

The Polk County Sheriff’s Office continues to investigate the circumstances that led to the crash, including vehicle positioning, speed, and right-of-way determinations. No further details have been released at this time.

📍 Crash Location: Spirit Lake Road, Winter Haven
📆 Date/Time: Tuesday, October 7, 2025 – approx. 10:00 a.m.
📸 Photos: Polk County Fire Rescue

📰 Stay with iSkyNews.com for continued updates as this story develops. Our thoughts and prayers go out to our First Responders and all parties involved.

#PolkCounty #FatalCrash #FireRescueAccident #FirstResponderIncident #WinterHavenNews #PCSO #iSkyNews #EmergencyCrash #SpiritLakeRoad #BreakingNews

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