Vehicle Rollover Sparks Fire and Shuts Down Highway 154

By the edhat staff

A rollover vehicle collision sparked a brush fire on Highway 154 at Paradise Road Thursday evening.

At 6:33 p.m., three Santa Barbara County Fire engines and a Battalion Chief responded to the area and discovered a vehicle fully engulfed in fire that had spread to nearby vegetation. 

Crews stopped the forward progress of the 50 x 50 foot sized fire and rendered aid to a male patient with serious burn injuries. 

The male was transported to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital by ground ambulance in critical condition.

Captain Scott Safechuck reported the male driver was pulled from the vehicle by a female bystander, who was also transported to the hospital for smoke inhalation.

Highway 154 is closed in both directions. Caltrans does not have a time frame of reopening the roadway.

Vehicle Rollover Fire: HWY 154/Paradise Rd. Update: Single male occupant w/critical burns transported by ground to SBCH. He was pulled from vehicle by female bystander also transported for smoke inhalation. 50’x 50’ vegetation fire stopped. HWY 154 remains closed both directions. pic.twitter.com/AEvJZdheg7

— Scott Safechuck (@SBCFireInfo) November 18, 2022