The last Los Angeles City firefighter, who was seriously injured in a gas tank explosion earlier this month, walked out of the hospital Monday afternoon holding his wife's hand.
Firefighter Dan Goen and nine colleagues were injured when a 100-gallon tank of compressed natural gas exploded while they were attempting to extinguish a semi-truck fire.
Some firefighters were thrown several feet away from their position and temporarily lost consciousness. The less injured crew members quickly came to the aid of their more severely injured colleagues.
Goen expressed gratitude to the Los Angeles General Medical Burn Center medical team as well as his wife and fellow firefighters.
He said he was looking forward to going home to spend time with his girls.
“Blessed to not only be alive, but also, to not have any career-ending major injuries. So, I am very blessed and happy to be here.”
After the incident, Fire Chief Kristin Crowley said: “This incident serves as a reminder of the inherent dangers of the firefighting profession and the commitment your LAFD members have to place the safety of the public before their own.”
