Authorities say a 61-year-old man died after being struck by a fire engine that was responding to an emergency near the Alamitos Bay Marina last night.
The Long Beach Fire Department said it happened at around 12:30 a.m. Dispatch records show Engine 8, which operates out of the Belmont Shore station, was responding to a traffic collision at North Studebaker Road and Pacific Coast Highway at that time.
Police said the man was lying in front of the station’s roll-up door when it opened to let the engine out. As they left, the engine crew accidentally hit him, the Long Beach Fire Department said in a statement.
“The crew of Engine 8 immediately rendered aid, but unfortunately, the individual was determined deceased at the scene,” according to the statement.
Fire Station 8 is on Second Street at Claremont Avenue, just across the bridge from Naples.
The man was identified by the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner as Michael Shaun Ross. He was homeless, according to the Medical Examiner’s Department. Police said he was a Long Beach resident
It’s not clear why he was lying in front of the garage.
“Our thoughts and prayers go out to the individual involved and his family,” the LBFD said in its statement.
Police said they’re still investigating and asked anyone with information to call detectives at 562-570-7355.
The Fire Department said it was also tending to the firefighters involved and would provide them with “critical incident stress management.”
City News Service contributed to this report.