Five firefighters have been rushed to hospital after two appliances crashed off a north road while en route to a separate incident.
The incident happened earlier today after the engines were dispatched to a collision at Cantraybruich on the B9006 Inverness to Nairn road.
At 7.16am with their blue lights flashing both appliances left the road at Newlands of Culloden.
It is understood conditions in the area were icy at the time, and both engines toppled onto their sides.
One witness at the scene said vehicles had “spun around” and came to rest facing in the opposite direction to that which they had been travelling.
Six of the eight crew members aboard the vehicles were able to climb free from the wreckage, but two firefighters were trapped before being released by their colleagues.
Five crew members were rushed to Raigmore hospital in Inverness for treatment. The extent of their injuries is unknown.
A spokesman for the fire service said: ” At 07.03 on Saturday February 6, Inverness control were advised of a road traffic accident on the B9006 at Cantraybruich. They subsequently dispatched two appliances from Inverness fire station to attend.
“At 07.16, while en-route to the incident under blue light conditions, both appliances left the road at Newlands of Culloden.
“Six crew members were able to exit the vehicles. Two crew members were, however, trapped inside an appliance for a period before being released by colleagues.”
He added: “SFRS officers are at the hospital to provide support to crew members and their families.”
One of the five crew members who was admitted to Raigmore Hospital has now been released and has returned home.
The remaining four firefighters are being kept in overnight, although their injuries are not thought to be either life-threatening or life-changing.
It is understood one of the crewmen may require surgery tomorrow.
The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service are now working closing with investigating police officers to understand the cause of this morning’s incident.
A stretch of the B9006 at the scene near Newlands of Culloden was closed which crash scene investigators work to establish the cause of the incident.
The two fire engines involved in the incident have now been towed back to Inverness.
One driver who was turned around by officers said: “We didn’t see anything – we were driving from Croy to Inverness but police turned us down at Tornagrain to get to A96.”
A third emergency response vehicle was later dispatched from the Inverness station to deal with the initial road traffic collision at Cantraybruich. There are not thought to have been any serious injuries.
Appliances from Aberdeen and Dundee have now been rerouted to the Inverness area to provide emergency cover. A SFRS spokesman said this will not affect emergency cover in other areas.