Three firefighters managed to safely escape before their fire engine fell down 50 feet off the side of the freeway Friday in the Inland Empire.
The San Bernardino County firefighters were returning from a swift water rescue in the West Cajon Valley when they drove into a far right lane on the southbound 15 Freeway that was undermined due to runoff from the storm, said fire department spokesman Eric Sherwin.
The engine was hanging onto a portion of the remaining lanes, which gave the firefighters enough time to escape before it fell off the side, Sherwin said.
All three firefighters were taken to the hospital for evaluation.
There was a long-term closure of the southbound 15 Freeway from the 138 to Cleghorn as Caltrans assessed the damage.
West 138 reopened Saturday but the east 138 remains closed.
Friday's storm was forecast as the biggest storm Southern California's had in years. Flooding, downed trees and power lines, sinkholes and numerous closures were reported all across the region.
