LUMBERTON — A Fairmont volunteer firefighter was injured Thursday when he was struck by a vehicle while directing traffic on N.C. 41, but his injuries are not serious.

Terry Gibson, Fairmont Rural Fire Department chief, was working a house fire when he heard about the accident and rushed to Southeastern Regional Medical Center. He identified the injured firefighter as James Thompson.

“He’s OK,” said Gibson, who has been the department’s chief since 2008. “He just going to be a little sore for a while.”

Gibson said he didn’t know how long Thompson has been a volunteer firefighter, but said he already was a member of the department when he joined 21 years ago.

Highway Patrol Trooper J. Jacobs, who investigated the accident, said it happened on N.C. 41 near Turkey Branch Road at about 8:30 a.m.

Jacobs said the firefighter was in full reflective gear, but the driver of the GMC pickup that hit him while trying to make a left turn said he was blinded by the sun. The driver, Mitchell Grier of Fairmont, was charged with failure to reduce speed while striking a pedestrian.

Gibson said Thompson told him he was struck by the vehicle’s side mirror and bumper.

It is the third time a law enforcement officer or first responder has been hit while directing traffic in Robeson County since December.

Last week a sheriff’s detective, Matt Lassiter, was struck while directing traffic around bridge work that was being done on Interstate 95 at Exit 33. Lassiter suffered a head injury but is expected to make a full recovery.

He was released Thursday from McLeod Regional Medical Center in Florence, S.C.

On Dec. 15, a Lumberton police officer, Jason Quick, was struck and killed while working a traffic accident at Exit 22 on Interstate 95 in Lumberton.

Charges were brought in the accident involving Lassiter, but not in the Quick accident.