HOUSTON — Houston Firefighter Darren Jones, one of three firefighters who suffered burns while battling an apartment fire, took a major step in his recovery on Feb. 3, ringing the hospital bell as he was discharged.
Jones is the second firefighter to leave the hospital after suffering burns in the blaze. Firefighter Jonathan Guzman was released days earlier, walking out of the hospital on Jan. 31 to salutes from fellow firefighters.
Jones and Guzman, along with Captain Edward Escamilla, were trapped inside a burning apartment building while battling a fierce blaze in early January. The intense fire left all three injured, requiring hospitalization for extensive treatment, KHOU reported.
Dressed in shorts and a t-shirt, Jones marked his release with a symbolic bell-ringing ceremony, a tradition celebrating a patient’s journey to recovery. While his return home is a major milestone, Escamilla remains hospitalized as he continues to receive medical care.
“I’m out, let’s go,” Jones said after ringing the bell.
The Houston Fire Department has not provided additional updates on Escamilla’s condition but continues to support the injured firefighters and their families. The department also extended gratitude to the community for their ongoing support and well wishes.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
