2 Fort Worth firefighters hospitalized after garage collapse during house fire
Two firefighters are recovering after a garage collapse during a two-alarm house fire in Fort Worth on Wednesday.
It happened in the 200 block of S. Williams Street. The two-alarm fire was called in the historic neighborhood around 11 a.m., according to the Fort Worth Fire Department.
Video from the scene showed black smoke billowing out of the one-story home and several firefighters working to put out the fire.
As crews made their way inside the home, authorities said the garage collapsed, trapping one of the firefighters and leading to a mayday call.
Fort Worth FD said when the sound of a "mayday" tone plays over all radio traffic, it stops everyone in their tracks.
"The problem: one or more firefighters require immediate assistance. The objective: stop everything and get your fellow brother or sister out of harm's way," the department said in a statement.
"At that point in time, really, nothing else matters but trying to figure out where those firefighters are located, how we can get them out the quickest we can, and start providing medical attention to them," said Craig Trojacek, with the Fort Worth Fire Department.
In less than 2 minutes, fellow firefighters had pulled the trapped firefighter, Caleb Halvorson, from the burning debris, Fort Worth FD said.
Halvorson suffered several injuries and burns and was "rushed to awaiting medics and CareFlite was launched," officials said. He was taken to a hospital, where the department says he is in stable condition in the burn unit.
A second firefighter, Lt. Troy Gallagher, was taken to a hospital after he was injured during the rescue. The department said he is expected to be released soon.
Fort Worth FD said Halvorson has been with the department for 3 years, and Gallagher has been with the department since 2001.
No residents were at home and the cause of the fire is under investigation.