California firetruck crash leaves at least 8 severely injured as firefighters airlifted to hospital

A devastating firetruck crash has left at least eight injured as firefighters are airlifted to hospital.

The crash happened on the 241 Freeway near the Tomato Springs Toll Plaza in the Irvine area shortly before 7 p.m. Images from the scene show the crumpled truck laying on its side as debris littered the road.

Traffic was blocked on the northbound side and backing up for miles. Abc7 reported there appeared to be no other crash involved or visible at the crash site. Two helicopters were requested for airlifts.

READ MORE: Families of four California students killed in horror crash sue over road known as 'dead man's curve'

READ MORE: Human remains found inside SUV suspected of causing Houston gas pipeline fire that raged for 4 days

In another California crash, he families of the four Pepperdine students who were killed on a deadly stretch of the Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu last year are filing a lawsuit against the state and several state agencies.

Last October, Niamh Rolston, Peyton Stewart, Asha Weir and Deslyn Williams were stuck and killed by a vehicle while they were walking down the northbound shoulder of a section of the PCH known as "Dead Man's Curve" on their way to an event. A speeding driver veered onto the shoulder of the road and crashed into three parked cars, and one of the parked vehicles hit the women as they stood on the side of the road.

The four Alpha Phi sorority sisters died at the scene , and another person was injured. The 22-year-old driver behind the wheel of the car was arrested on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence.

Now, almost a year after the tragedy the parents of sorority sisters, and the fifth student who was injured, filed lawsuits against the state of California, Caltrans, the California Coastal Commission, Los Angeles County and Malibu, ABC 7 reported. The separately filed Santa Monica Superior Court lawsuits contend that all of the entities share liability for the allegedly dangerous roadway design on that portion of PCH and for not implementing live-saving safety measures.

"For far too long, Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu has been and continues to be unsafe for pedestrians and drivers alike," the plaintiffs' attorneys said in a joint statement. "As a result of the defendants' complacency, far too many lives have been needlessly lost."