A full investigation will be launched today after two fire engines crashed off a road on the outskirts of Inverness – injuring five firefighters.
The vehicles had been on their way to an emergency when they went off the road and overturned near Culloden Moor.
Five crew were taken to Raigmore Hospital in Inverness, with two of them having to be cut out of one of the appliances by their colleagues.
A spokesman for the service said last night that it was too early to determine the cause of the incident, although members of the public reported icy conditions in the area.
One witness at the scene said vehicles had “spun around” and came to rest facing in the opposite direction to the one they had been travelling in.
Two of the five firefighters taken to hospital had left yesterday, with the other three requiring further treatment.
Doctors have said their injuries are not life-threatening or life-changing.
“The three are improving, which is positive, but the extent of their injuries mean they are still in Raigmore,” said a service spokesman.
“It’s a good move forward. They are in good spirits, although obviously their injuries require them to remain in hospital.”
He added: “We will be starting a full investigation tomorrow. The police have done their initial at-scene investigation and tomorrow we will be sitting down with them.
“We will be looking at our own initial report on the vehicles. Obviously the police will have a view.
“These sorts of things do happen, although thankfully it’s been quite a while since we’ve had an incident like this. Thankfully they are very rare.”
The two engines had been dispatched from Inverness fire station after receiving a call about a crash on the B9006 at Cantraybruich at 7.03am on Saturday.
While on their way to the incident under blue light conditions, both appliances left the road at Newlands of Culloden, and ended up on their sides.
A third emergency response vehicle was dispatched from Inverness to deal with the initial road accident, which was not thought to be serious.
A stretch of the B9006 at the scene near Newlands of Culloden was closed for much of the day while crash scene investigators worked to establish the cause of the accident.
The two fire engines involved were towed back to Inverness.
Two appliances from Aberdeen and Dundee have already arrived in Inverness to provide cover.