3 Dead, Including 2 Firefighters, After Head-On Collision with Ambulance

A head-on collision between an ambulance and a vehicle in Arizona has left three people dead, including two young firefighters.

The fatal crash occurred just after 10 p.m. local time on Sunday, Sept. 14, on a state route between the communities of Heber-Overgaard and Show Low, the Timber Mesa Fire and Medical District said in a statement.

Officials identified the victims inside the ambulance as Brenna Kulikowski, 31, a third-year firefighter and paramedic, and Damon Thompson, 21, who was just 15 days away from completing his first year with the department.

The Arizona Department of Public Safety is working to identify the occupant of the other vehicle involved in the crash.

Timber Mesa Fire and Medical District Chief Randy Chevalier remembered Kulikowski as a “such a compassionate person and a fantastic paramedic,” according to Arizona’s Family, a collection of local news outlets.

Meanwhile, he said that according to Thompson’s parents, “Damon always wanted to be a firefighter and he was a dang good firefighter.”

“Our entire organization is grieving the loss of our team members. We ask for privacy and compassion as we support the families, co-workers, and community during this very difficult time,” TMFMD officials said in an earlier statement.

Although the investigation is ongoing, Arizona DPS found that the driver of the other vehicle crossed a center line before crashing into the ambulance, local radio station KTAR News reported.

An Arizona DPS spokesperson tells PEOPLE on Tuesday, Sept. 16 the incident remains under investigation and the department does not have any updates to share.

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Thompson’s cousin has since established a GoFundMe and the Arizona Firefighters Foundation is collecting money to support the victims’ families.