A firefighter was hospitalized after being injured during a house fire in north Harris County late Wednesday night. Click2Houston reports that the firefighter was injured when a part of the ceiling collapsed while he was inside a home on Maidencane Court, where the fire had broken out around 9:15 p.m. Fellow firefighters were able to quickly knock down the flames, but not before the incident occurred.
The firefighter, whose identity has not been disclosed, was transported to a local hospital for evaluation following the event. He is reported to be in stable condition and expected to be released soon. According to KHOU, Northwest Fire Department Chief Wesley Cole stated, "During the course of the fire and extinguishment, one firefighter was injured. The ceiling fell on top of his head."
The Harris County Fire Marshal's Office has taken up the investigation to ascertain the cause of the fire. While the investigation remains ongoing, there were early indications of fireworks activity in the area that night, although Chief Cole highlighted this was not confirmed, expressing, "Early indication, we may have fire works going off in the area. We don't know that for sure, but that's the primary investigation right now," reported by KHOU.
Residents of the home were unharmed in the blaze, which carved out a path of destruction visible from the street. The close call for first responders serves as a somber reminder of the perils that fires pose, not just to homeowners but to those who rush towards the flames in service to others. More information will likely come to light as the investigation into the causes of the fire deepens over the coming weeks.
