Brooklyn, NY (March 11, 2026) — A devastating chain-reaction collision involving an FDNY firetruck claimed the life of an elderly passenger and left 11 others injured in the Gravesend section of Brooklyn on Tuesday evening. The NYPD has identified the deceased victim as Placido D’Andrea, 78.
The incident unfolded at approximately 6:45 p.m. at the intersection of Avenue S and West 11th Street. According to a preliminary investigation, the FDNY firetruck was traveling eastbound on Avenue S, reportedly responding to an emergency call. As it entered the intersection, it struck a westbound Ford Transit commercial van owned by Frontier HVAC. The impact sent the firetruck careening into an Access-A-Ride van filled with passengers, which then struck a Lexus SUV.
First responders found a chaotic scene with debris scattered across several lanes. Mr. D’Andrea, a passenger in the Access-A-Ride vehicle, was rushed to South Brooklyn Health, where he was tragically pronounced dead. Eleven others, including six firefighters, the driver of the commercial van, and occupants of the other vehicles, were hospitalized in stable condition.
While the NYPD stated that the firetruck had its lights and sirens active, the owner of the commercial van, Michael Liu, contested this, claiming his driver had a green light and that the sirens were not audible. Nearby home surveillance footage is being analyzed by the NYPD Collision Investigation Squad to resolve these conflicting accounts.
Multi-Vehicle Accident in New York
Collisions involving emergency vehicles like FDNY trucks fall under a specific and complex legal standard in New York known as the “Reckless Disregard” standard. Under New York Vehicle and Traffic Law § 1104, drivers of authorized emergency vehicles are permitted to go through red lights and exceed speed limits when responding to a call. However, they are not immune from liability if they act with “reckless disregard for the safety of others.”
Proving “reckless disregard” is a significantly higher legal hurdle than proving ordinary negligence. It requires evidence that the operator intentionally committed an act of an unreasonable character in total disregard of a known or obvious risk. In this case, the investigation into whether sirens were actually engaged and whether the truck slowed sufficiently before entering the intersection will be the pivot point for any legal recovery.
For the family of Placido D’Andrea and the other injured victims, navigating a claim against the City of New York requires strict adherence to the Notice of Claim requirements. In most cases, a victim has only 90 days from the date of the accident to file a formal notice against the municipality. Failure to meet this deadline can result in the permanent loss of the right to seek compensation. An experienced New York multi-vehicle accident attorney acts as a dedicated advocate by securing vital “black box” data from the firetruck and the Access-A-Ride van, ensuring that municipal immunity does not become a barrier to justice for those injured or lost.
If you or a loved one were injured in this collision or any accident involving a city-owned vehicle in Brooklyn, contact Stanley Law Office at 888-997-3889 for a free, private consultation. We are here to help you navigate the complexities of municipal law and ensure your rights are protected.
