DETROIT'S EAST SIDE (WXYZ) — A Detroit firefighter is recovering after falling through the floor while battling a house fire.
The fire broke out overnight at a home on Detroit's east side around 2 a.m.
EMS rushed one firefighter to St. John's hospital after he fell from the second to the fire floor fighting this fire. The windows are already boarded up because the building is vacant.
Fire officials say the fire started on the second floor, weakening the floor boards. That injured firefighter falling through, with his superior watching, setting off a mayday call.
"Just secured a mayday. Red team red team we got a mayday," that supervisor said on the radio (audio via Broadcastify). "Squad 6 I have your man. We’re going to put him on EMS...Chief 6 to central. My downed fireman is out. He’s being packaged, placed on EMS. Send me a second EMS."
The Chief on scene here cancelled that mayday call less than a minute after getting called in after seeing the injured firefighter being helped out of the building. He was conscious and able to walk with help. The Chief saying multiple times while we talked to him that the crews followed their training by the book during that mayday situation.
Crews continued breaking windows and spraying down flames as they popped up until the fire was out.
As of 6:15 a.m., the chief says there isn't a known cause for the fire. He also didn't have any updates on the current condition of the fire fighter who fell through the floor, but said he was talking when being pit in the ambulance.
