Joshua Tree firefighters were busy this weekend. Friday night, two men were critically injured when a sand rail rolled over in the dry lake bed north of the highway. According to Fire Captain Steve Lasiter, the two men were not wearing helmets or the sand rail’s 5-point harnesses, and were ejected about 10:30 p.m. when the sand rail rolled over. Mercy Air took both men to Desert Hospital in Palm Springs.
Saturday afternoon the firefighters helped rescue a rock climber who suffered a seizure while climbing in the Split Rock area.
Then about 4:30, they were called to Ferrell Gas in Yucca Valley. The gas company’s main tank had a small gas leak. Firefighters remained on scene until a representative from Ferrell Gas arrived to fix the leak.
Finally, about 6:50 p.m. Sunday, Joshua Tree firefighters were called to a vegetation fire at Cholla and Joshua Drive in Yucca Valley. Captain Lasiter said juveniles playing with fire started a tire on fire, which spread to a 20- by 40-foot area. Lasiter said the fire was mostly out by the time firefighters arrived.
