HOUSTON — Three Houston firefighters suffered serious burns to their neck, hands and legs while they were trapped behind a door during an apartment fire.
Firefighters responded to a fire at approximately 5:30 a.m. at 4840 Jarmese St. on Jan. 7. Approximately five minutes after firefighters arrived, a mayday call was issued by one of the crews, KTRK reported.
While searching the apartments, the firefighters became trapped when a heavy door obstructed their exit, prompting the mayday.
During a press conference, Mayor John Whitmire said the firefighters were “very close to losing their lives,” as the fire damaged their gear. Fire Chief Thomas Munoz mentioned a flashover when talking about the damage to the firefighters’ gear.
“Let’s keep our fire department in our prayers,” Mayor Whitmire said. “These injured firefighters and their families realize the risk that every day they go to work, and that’s why we love our firefighters in the City of Houston.”
Fire Chief Thomas Munoz said the three firefighters were rescued by other firefighters and transported to Memorial Hermann Hospital suffering various degrees of burn injuries.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
