ORINDA This morning at 0952 hours a Moraga-Orinda Firefighter was injured when the pick-up truck/ utility vehicle he was driving rolled off the embankment of a fire trail in north west Orinda. The vehicle rolled about 150 -200 feet down the hill. MOFD personnel responded, freed him from the vehicle, and then used a series of ropes and pulleys to move him back up the hill and into an awaiting ambulance. He was transported to John Muir Medical Center where he is in stable condition and under observation.
The victim, 33 year old David Mazaika, has been employed as a fire fighter by the District for 7 ½ years.
At the time of the accident, Mazaika was involved in the District's fire trail maintenance program. Each year the District inspects the condition of the trails and contracts with a grading service to skim the surface of the fire trails to ensure they are in a safe condition if needed during the wild fire season. A firefighter in a utility vehicle leads the grader as it moves along the trail to check for obstructions or other safety issues. Mazaika was in the lead vehicle at the time of the accident.
The cause of the accident is under investigation.
Personnel from Moraga-Orinda Fire District, East Bay Regional Park District, CALSTAR, and East Bay Municipal Utility District are all assisting on scene.
Firefighter was released from the hospital and is resting at home. Thank you for all the calls and cards.
