Boyle Heights, CA - LAFD Ambulance Collides With Sedan, Four People Hurt

Boyle Heights, CA (September 9, 2026) - A Los Angeles Fire Department rescue ambulance carrying a patient in serious condition collided with another vehicle near the 300 block of South Boyle Avenue on the afternoon of September 9, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. The collision happened shortly before 2 p.m., at approximately 1:57 p.m., at Boyle Avenue and East 4th Street.

Fire officials said five people were identified as patients at the scene. Three of them were Fire Department personnel, and a fourth was another individual involved in the crash. Both groups were reported to have minor injuries.

The patient who was already in serious condition before the collision, and who was being transported to a hospital at the time, continued on to receive care, according to LAFD spokesperson Lyndsey Lantz. Lantz said all five people involved were adults and that no further identifying information was available.

Photos from the scene showed the ambulance next to a red four-door sedan with front-end damage, though authorities have not released details about the vehicle or who was driving it.

No citations or arrests had been announced as of Wednesday evening, and the cause of the collision remained under investigation.

This is a developing story. Details may change as the investigation continues.

Car Accidents Involving City Vehicles in Los Angeles, California

A crash involving a fire department ambulance is rarely straightforward, since more than one party could end up sharing responsibility once investigators sort out what happened at that intersection.

If you were hurt in this collision or one like it, an attorney can help you:

• Get evaluated by a doctor even if the injuries feel minor at first
• Avoid giving a recorded statement to the city's risk management office or the other driver's insurer
• Preserve dispatch records, dash camera footage, and nearby surveillance before it gets deleted
• Hold off on signing any settlement until a lawyer has reviewed the full picture

California follows a pure comparative fault standard, so compensation is not blocked just because more than one driver may share blame.

If the investigation finds the city vehicle at fault, the Government Claims Act requires a formal claim against the City of Los Angeles within six months of the crash, a deadline that falls on March 9, 2027. If a private driver is found responsible instead, the ordinary personal injury deadline is two years from the crash date, or September 9, 2028 (CCP § 335.1).

Contact Our California Car Accident Attorneys

Getting hurt in a crash you didn't cause is disorienting enough without also wondering whether a government agency is involved and what that means for your case.

Christian Contreras Law has recovered more than $200 million for injured Californians and takes on cases insurance companies would rather settle quietly, including claims involving a government vehicle or agency. A Los Angeles car accident attorney from our office can sort out which claims process applies to your situation and start it before a deadline closes the door.

Dispatch logs and dash camera footage from an incident like this one don't stay available forever, so the sooner someone starts requesting it, the better.

We handle these cases on contingency. There is nothing to pay upfront and nothing owed unless we win.

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• $200M+ recovered for clients
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Legal Disclaimer

This page is attorney advertising and is provided for general informational purposes only. It is not legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Incident information is based on publicly available reports and may change as the investigation continues. The Law Offices of Christian Contreras is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to any law enforcement or emergency response agency. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes, and no outcome is promised or implied.