The Langston fire chief is still recovering in the ICU after a devastating crash that additionally injured three other firefighters returning from assisting Enid tornado victims.
The crash happened just before midnight on Friday, April 24, 2026, along State Highway 74 in Logan County, involving Chief Bobby Anderson, Assistant Chief Brian Orndorff, Captain Jaye Bartels, and Firefighter Eric Abrams.
While on their way back to Langston, the fire truck was hit head-on by a semi-truck and then hit by another vehicle.
“A lot of people don’t understand that one of the most dangerous times for us is actually in the vehicles responding,” said Capt. Robert Rogers, the Langston Fire Department.
All four firefighters were injured, but all have returned home, except for Chief Anderson, who is still in the ICU, fighting for his life.
“The impact on the department has been nothing short of catastrophic,” said Rogers. Rogers says their department is left without their chief and other leaders, who are still recovering.
“It’s hard because we don’t have him here to ask, Chief, what do we do? Normally, he would be the one sitting there telling us how to do it,” said Rogers. The truck they were in was also their main one and is now a complete loss.
