Injured San Francisco Firefighter Remains In ICU; Union Launches Fundraiser

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) -- A San Francisco firefighter who suffered a serious head injury after battling a blaze in the city's financial district has undergone two surgeries and remains in the ICU, the firefighters union tweeted on Wednesday.

Matt Vann, a six-year veteran of the department who is stationed at SFFD Station Number One and has an 8-year-old son, is being treated at the neuro-trauma team at San Francisco General and remains intubated.

To help Vann's family, San Francisco Firefighters 798 union has launched a fundraiser through the SF Fire Credit Union. To donate call 415-674-4800 and reference the SFFD Matt Vann Fund -- 175373-2100.

"He is a fighter and showing signs of improvement," San Francisco Firefighters 798 union said in a release.

SFFD Lt. John Baxter said Vann fell and hit his head when he was struck by a hose line during a response to a high-rise fire downtown on Nov. 2nd. At around 3:30 p.m. firefighters responded to a fire on the 19th floor of a building at 55 Spear Street in San Francisco's Financial District.

After the incident was resolved, Baxter said an SFMTA Muni bus drove through the incident area. At the same time, a firefighter was inadvertently struck by a hose line and fell to the ground, hitting his head.

Baxter did not say if the Muni bus had somehow struck the hose or the vehicle the hose was attached to, causing a section of the hose to strike the firefighter.

The blow to the head rendered the firefighter unconscious and not breathing, Baxter said.

"This firefighter was transported by San Francisco firefighters to San Francisco General Hospital, where live-saving measures were in place," Baxter said. "The firefighter is in critical condition.