Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Houston firefighter critically burned
Raw video of interview in hospital
KPRC-TV coverage, including fire video
Article from The Houston Chronicle
Dispatch information from Houston FD website. Click to enlarge.
A fire captain is in critical condition this morning with second and third-degree burns to his airway. The ten-year veteran of the Houston Fire Department is being treated at Memorial Hermann Hospital-The Texas Medical Center. A second firefighter, on the job for seven years, has second-degree burns to his hands.
According to a department spokesman, they were injured at a house fire in the 3900 block of Linder. The fire was reported at 7:00 PM Monday with early information that an elderly man was trapped.
At some point a mayday was called, activating a RIT assignment and second-alarm.
Here is some more detail from a Houston Chronicle interview with District Chief Tommy Dowdy:
The two were inside the house working to extinguish the fire when the flames ``pushed back'' on them, Dowdy said. The roof then collapsed.
Dowdy said the injuries could have also occurred from a flashover, which happens when the fire causes smoke and gas in the air to ignite.
Officials called for a second alarm when it became a rescue effort. At one point there was more than 100 firefighters at the scene.
While an official cause of the fire is unknown, a preliminary investigation shows the fire started in house, possibly from a faulty power outlet, Dowdy said.
It turns out that all three occupants of the home had escaped before the arrival of firefighters.
More than 100 firefighters gathered at the hospital after learning of the injuries.
PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICE
NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 4, 2008
Firefighters Injured in House Fire
Two Houston firefighters were injured during a house fire that the
Houston Fire Department responded on Monday, November 3, 2008,
shortly past 7 p.m. at 3910 Linder.
Captain Darin Unruh, Station 39, was critically injured with third
degree burns and smoke inhalation. He is currently in critical, but
stable condition at the hospital.
Unruh entered the department in January 1998 and has served out of
numerous stations. In 2001 he was honored with the Public Safety
Telecommunicator Award for processing a call in which he was able to
assist a caller doing CPR on her child. In 2002, the HFD Valor awards
also recognized him for three incidents. He was awarded the Unit
Meritorious Medal for his part in rescuing a man trapped in a 20 foot
hole in southwest Houston and the Unit Medal of Valor for his part in
rescuing multiple citizens from an apartment fire in October 2001 and
from an elderly care home in February of 2002. In May of 2005, Unruh
was promoted to Captain. He and his wife have two young children.
Firefighter EMT Dennis Valencia, Station 34, was treated for second
and first degree burns and has been released from the hospital. He
entered the department in October 2001.
Firefighters tapped out the two-alarm fire just before 8 p.m. There
were no other reported injuries and the residents also escaped
without injury. Currently, the cause of the fire is under
investigation.
Photos of these two firefighters will be released later today.
: November 4, 2008 3:17 PM Links to this post:
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