A Portland, Ore., firefighter suffered an electric shock from a 240-volt power line and a head injury when a ceiling and debris from an attic while fighting a house fire Monday.
According to a report published by The Oregonian, the unidentified firefighter was taken to the hospital where he was conscious and alert and held overnight for observations.
The paper said crews from the Portland Fire & Rescue responded to the reported house fire at 1:30 p.m. and advanced hoses into the burning structure. While the firefighter pulled the ceiling down in a living room to access the fire in the attic, he was hit in the helmet with heavy material and also shocked by the electric line that came down at the same time.
A news release from the Portland Fire Department said the initial report said there was a fire on the deck of the home at 3226 Southwest Dolph Court that was spreading to the attic. Crews took hose lines into the home and pulled the ceiling to get to the attic space.
An ambulance took the injured firefighter to Legacy Emanuel Medical Center for observation and treatment, the newspaper reported.
The fire was likely caused by oily rags on a wooden table and caused an estimated $40,000 to the Southwest Portland home, according to fire officials quoted by The Oregonian.
