Flint rookie firefighter badly burned. Jeremy Turner had just been brought back following layoff.

Image from WJRT-TV interview with Jeremy Turner in April.

WJRT-TV is reporting that 31-year-old Jeremy Turner, a rookie firefighter in Flint Michigan was badly burned at a house fire around 5:30 this morning.  Turner, who has second and third degree burns, was one of the firefighters recently brought back to the department following layoffs. The TV station had interviewed Turner in April.

This morning’s fire was at Wolcott Street and 8th Avenue. This is the second fire at the home and the home had been shot up with bullet casings found around the home. The first fire was aroud midnight.

Here are excerpts from reporter Joel Feick’s article:

Turner was among the firefighters responding to the second fire. He was at the front door with a hose when the floor beneath him gave way, causing him to drop into the basement, which was engulfed in flames.

“He was ‘Am I going to live? Am I going to be able to fight fire again?’ And it just breaks you up,” (Battalion Chief Theresa) Root said. “An excellent firefighter.”

His wife, who’s eight months pregnant, is by his bedside right now.

Root says it really hit her hard when Turner held up his arms up, and it was clear that he was badly burned.

She says Turner’s family has said he was born to be a firefighter.