A Tulsa firetruck flips on its side, injuring a firefighter

Tulsa Police say the closure of a main thoroughfare has motorists taking a dangerous detour, including a Tulsa fire truck.<br/><br/>News on 6 Heather Lewin says with 71st Street shut down at US highway

Thursday, March 3rd 2005, 9:53 am

By: News On 6

Tulsa Police say the closure of a main thoroughfare has motorists taking a dangerous detour, including a Tulsa fire truck.

News on 6 Heather Lewin says with 71st Street shut down at US highway 75, drivers are taking 61st Street instead. That street was closed for several hours Thursday morning after a fire truck responding to an emergency call ran off the road, injuring three firefighters.

Tulsa Police say there's no shoulder on the narrow road and the truck's tires dropped off the edge. Tulsa Police Sgt Rick Bondy: "Since they closed 71st street the collisions on this road have gone up dramatically." The injured firefighters were released from the hospital with some cuts and bruises.

Tulsa Police fear they'll see more wrecks on 61st Street in the coming months. Oklahoma Department of Transportation officials said 61st Street isn't the route people should be taking, that they've designated 81st Street as the official detour.

Drivers will have no direct access to 71st Street for the next six months.