Mayday in Cincinnati: Fireground audio from a house fire this morning. FF fell down steps dislodging facepiece. Injuries described as minor.
Article by Jennifer Baker at Cincinnati.com:
A Cincinnati firefighter and resident suffered minor injuries in an overnight house fire at 4409 Glenway Ave., according to the Cincinnati Fire Department.
Both were taken to University Hospital. Their names and conditions have not been released.
A total of 42 firefighters responded to Glenway Avenue about 3:30 a.m. after a resident drove to Fire Station 24 to report the blaze, said Capt. Michael A. Washington, agency spokesman.
When crews arrived, they found heavy smoke and flames shooting from the first floor of a three-story brick apartment building and a person trapped above the fire on the third floor, he said.
While some firefighters began battling the blaze, others tried to rescue the endangered resident.
A firefighter fell down a flight of stairs while searching the third floor for the resident.
The firefighter’s breathing piece became dislodged from his face, and he inhaled smoke, Washington said. A second firefighter transmitted a “may day” call signaling a firefighter in distress. The two managed to get to a window and climb to safety with the help of other firefighters.
Meanwhile, the resident was rescued out of the building and brought down to the ground on an aerial ladder.
The origin and cause of the blaze remains under investigation. Damage has been set at $65,000.
Glenway Avenue was shut down between Rosemont and Sunset for several hours. Motorists used Queen City Avenue as a detour.
