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3 Pittsburgh firefighters hurt in house fire backdraft

The firefighters were caught in the backdraft as they started backing off; three suffered burns on their hands, faces and necks

PITTSBURGH — A backdraft at a burning home injured three firefighters in Pittsburgh on Thursday.

A team of six firefighters was just beginning to back off from the fire when what Fire Chief Darryl Jones described as a “limited backdraft event” occurred, according to WTAE.

Three of the injured firefighters were hospitalized with first- and second-degree burns on their hands, faces and necks.

A fourth firefighter was taken to a local hospital after being shaken up.

“It’s over in a minute, but it seems like forever,” Fire Lt. Duke Mulvihill told WTAE.

“The heat was so tremendous, and then a little bit of air gets introduced, and it’s like an explosion.”