SAG HARBOR, N.Y. — A fire captain was injured after falling about 8 feet through a ceiling at a gym Thursday morning.
East Hampton Star reported that fire captain Alex Smith, 26, with the Phoenix Hook and Ladder Company, fell while investigating a possible gas leak at the gym. He suffered a contusion on his head and was airlifted to a hospital. He was released a few hours later.
Capt. Smith was wearing his turnout gear and helmet at the time of the incident. Fire Chief Thomas Gardella said his gear saved him from more serious injury.
“You have a potential gas leak and you have a firefighter that’s down. The first priority is to get the attention to the firefighter, to make sure he’s OK and get him out of the building,” Chief Gardella said. “It gets complicated.”
The gas leak report appeared to be unfounded. The fire department shut off the gas to the building and asked the gas company to respond to check the pressure.