A firefighter from a community in upstate New York's Hudson Valley is expected to be OK after being injured when a fire engine battery exploded at his fire station.
The Daily Freeman reports that Capt. Mike Williams, a member of the Sawkill Fire Department in Kingston, inhaled toxic fumes after the battery exploded at a station located at 896 Sawkill Road on Saturday morning.
Williams was starting a fire engine as crews were preparing to head to the Ulster County Volunteer Firefighters Association parade in the town of Ulster when the battery exploded and sparked a fire.
After inhaling toxic fumes from the battery acid, Williams was airlifted to Westchester Medical Center in Valhalla in critical condition, according to Sawkill Fire Chief David Hoffman, who said the fire was quickly contained before a hazmat unit contained and cleaned up the acid.
Hoffman said Sunday that Williams, who has been a department member for 10 years, quickly improved upon arriving at the hospital and was expected to be released in the coming days.
