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‘Everything went lights out’: SoCal firefighter details close call

Andrew Klein details the commercial fire where light smoke turned violent eruption, plus what saved him and how he’s managing his mental health

“I thought he was dead. He thought I was dead.” Firefighter Andrew Klein shares a harrowing story involving a recent flashover that left him disoriented and worried his captain was dead in the same terrifying instant his captain thought Klein was dead. Klein shares the play by play of the commercial fire scene — a light smoke condition that turned violent eruption where “everything went lights out.” He details what happened, what saved him and how he’s managing his mental health post-incident.

Photos from the scene:

This episode of the Better Every Shift Podcast is sponsored by MagneGrip. Eliminate diesel exhaust fumes from inside the fire station with a MagneGrip exhaust removal system. Learn more at MagneGrip.com.

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