FRESNO, Calif. — A California firefighter suffered critical burns after falling through the roof of a burning home on Sunday.
A witness caught the scary situation on camera.
The unidentified firefighter was trying to put out heavy flames in the garage of a Fresno home when the roof collapsed.
At the 30-second mark, flames could be seen swallowing the firefighter.
According to the Fresno Bee, fellow firefighters and several witnesses rushed inside and pulled him out to safety.
“That man lay injured in that burning inferno for between 60 and 180 seconds,” Joe Reyes, who helped rescue the firefighter, told the Bee. “When they pulled him out, they immediately stripped off his clothes and covered him in water.”
The 25-year veteran is recovering with second and third degree burns.
A witness, Sooji Lee, posted the video above to Facebook and said,
“One of the scariest moments I’ve had to experience. I’m still feeling lighthearted. This is what happened earlier today a few houses down from ours around 1pm. We were one of the few who arrived at the scene first. The house is known for being a meth/druggie house. Unfortunately, one of the firefighters got hurt in the process. The firefighter is okay. He received some pretty bad burns all over his leg which you’ll be able to see at the end of the video. My heart goes out to you and I wish you a speedy recovery. Thank you firefighters for all that you do. You are greatly appreciated.”
