Editor's note: Firehouse Editor-in-Chief Peter Matthews was riding with Engine 5 when they responded to this fire, and provided a partial first-hand account for this story. An investigation into the incident is underway by Fort Worth fire officials.
Three Fort Worth firefighters were taken to the hospital Monday night after fire conditions deteriorated, causing a mayday to be called.
Firefighters were called to the 1200 block of E. Cannon Street, just southeast of downtown, a few minutes after 6 p.m.
Engine 5 found heavy fire showing from the Bravo side and second floor of a two-story home with conversions in the rear and above the carport. The crew stretched a 1 3/4-inch hoseline through the front door.
"When the tones go off at a station and we're not sure if there's anybody inside, we'll do whatever we've got to do to get in there and make sure we've got everybody out safely," fire department spokesman Craig Trojacek told Firehouse.
Firefighters made it to the second floor and began attacking the fire as radiant heat from the fire spread to a trailer in the driveway on the Bravo exposure and a second line was stretched by Engine 14 to begin knocking down that fire before it spread to the adjacent home.
At that time, conditions inside the home deteriorated rapidly forcing firefighters to bail out a second-story window and onto the first floor roof where fire mostly surrounded them. A mayday was called, prompting a second alarm.
One firefighter crawled to a ladder and was able to climb down. The other firefighter came off the roof adjacent to the fire-weakened roof.
Other firefighters began treating the two injured members along with crews from Medstar, who transported the pair to Dallas' burn center at Parkland Hospital. A third firefighter was also transported to Parkland.
According to Trojacek, at least one firefighter was going to be hospitalized overnight.
Firefighters knocked down the fire and had to use an aerial ladder to knock down stubborn flames in the center of the home where structural conditions prevented firefighters from accessing the structure.
