Throughout the day on Sunday, firefighters arrived at the scene of a frightening explosion and fire to give support to the injured.
The Los Angeles Fire Department says it is not only concerned with the firefighters getting treatment; there’s also concern for the firefighters who witnessed the explosion.
Warning: the video below may not be suitable for some viewers.
The video obtained by the NBC4 I-Team shows a huge cloud of smoke followed by a massive fire ball shooting out of the one story building. You can see where the ladder extends from the fire truck to the roof. Firefighters, crawling through the flames, rush to get to safety.
A drone video captures another of the same fiery scene. The flames visibly grow and surround the firefighters stuck on a ladder. The firefighters struggle to move until the flames pull back.
Incredibly, they all survived.
Twelve Los Angeles firefighters were injured in the explosion and fire. The department said two of them were critically hurt, but the department said both firefighters who were intubated were off ventilators Sunday evening.
“Our worst nightmare is being burned while doing our job,” David Ortiz, of the LAFD, said. “These firefighters were trying to self-rescue when the explosion occurred.”
Their protective gear was left charred, and the ladder truck closest to the explosion was also burned in the blast.
Overnight, firefighters gathered and comforted each other at County USC Medical Center where their injured colleagues are getting treatment.
“It’s been a long night for the fire department,” Ortiz said.
Sunday, a smaller but steady stream of visitors came by the hospital. Three firefighters were released by morning. And the LAFD says another firefighter was treated and released last night for a minor injury.
Hospital officials say the burn unit is treating the remaining firefighters, with injuries ranging from fair to critical.
And then, there’s the emotional toll for those who saw the explosion first hand.
“It’s stressful for the members that witnessed it and were not injured,” Ortiz said. “We’re offering them the help of the department psychologist and support from peer groups.”
The NBC4 I-Team confirmed the video is part of the LAFD investigation.
LAFD says burn injuries can sometimes be accompanied by several complications, like infections in the wounds and blood stream.
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Source: NBC Los Angeles