An Indianapolis firefighter sustained serious injuries after being electrocuted and falling from a roof while they were responding to storm-related damages on Wednesday. The 29-year-old, with four years of service in the fire department, was working on a single-story house at 6350 E. Berwyn St when the incident occurred, as per details shared by FOX59. While using a chainsaw to remove a tree limb, the firefighter was shocked by downed power lines and fell about 12 feet into the home's backyard.
After the fall, fellow firefighters rendered aid, and he was transported to Eskenazi Hospital in serious condition. Reports from WTHR says the firefighter was later listed in stable condition and was "awake, alert, oriented, talking and undergoing routine testing." The emergency response to the incident had begun around 5:17 p.m., with IFD crews being dispatched to investigate the reported house fire which turned out to be a burning tree limb leaning against a garage, accompanied by dangerous, arcing power lines.
In the aftermath of the severe storms yesterday, which brought gusts up to 70 mph, IFD responded to over 300 calls between 4:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m., as reported by WISH-TV. The situations attended were primarily the result of the storm, involving downed power lines, trees, and damage to utility poles, resulting in widespread hazards across Indianapolis.
During the two-hour peak of the storm's impact, IFD crews were not only to deal with the complex rescue of their colleague, but they also fought three separate house fires, including one on the 1400 block of South Moreland Avenue believed to be sparked by a different set of downed power lines.
