Two volunteer firefighters injured in Stittsville blaze
Posted Apr 16, 2018 05:55:00 PM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
An electrical fire in Stittsville on Monday sent two firefighters to hospital, one with serious injuries.
The blaze broke out inside a home on Snowberry Way just after 1 p.m. and a group of volunteer firefighters were some of the first to arrive at the scene.
Once inside, the floor collapsed sending two firefighters into the basement.
Ottawa Fire Chief, Gerry Pingitore explained that the firefighters had been trained on self-rescue and one was able to use that training to get out of the basement.
“They often use the hose which they have to assist them in exiting the collapse,” he explained. “The other aspect of course is now the hose is with the firefighter that was still down there (in the hole) so if you follow the hose you should find the firefighter.”
The firefighter that was rescued was taken to the Queensway Carleton where he was sedated and placed in an induced coma as a precaution to prevent his airway from swelling shut.
Pingitore says there are some concerns regarding the effect of the smoke and gas will have on the firefighter's esophagus.
Meanwhile, the cause of the fire is under investigation. No other injuries were reported.
The home was completely destroyed by the fire.
