FL Firefighters Hit by Door at Firewood Facility

Two firefighters were injured Monday afternoon when a door came down as they entered a commercial firewood business.

Alachua County Fire Rescue Chief Harold Theus said the 20-foot, 400-pound manufacturing door came off the hinges while the firefighters were making entry into the building hitting two firefighters.

“The employees used a forklift. The door is very hot. The firefighters were in their full bunker gear and had all their protective clothing, thank goodness. They took a forklift to lift the door off of the firefighter where he had to be pulled out by his other firefighters,” he told WCJB. 

Both were taken to UF Health Shands. One of the injured firefighters is from Alachua County Fire Rescue, the other from Newberry Fire Department. One will require surgery for a broken leg while the other was released after treatment.

" Yes, we have been out here a couple of times for these types of fires. This has been the most significant that I can remember that we have had out here. Especially with the injuries it magnifies to us the danger involved in this type of firefighting,” Theus said.

Workers at the firewood drying business used forklifts to move the large piles of logs to keep the fire from spreading. A fire crew remained on the scene overnight to keep a watch on it.