NorthIowaToday.com

Founded in 2010

News & Entertainment for Mason City, Clear Lake & the Entire North Iowa Region

Two firefighters sustain serious blunt force trauma injuries in Cedar Rapids blaze

CEDAR RAPIDS – Two firefighters sustained serious blunt force trauma injuries in a Cedar Rapids blaze this past weekend.

On Sunday, February 7, 2021 at 1:19 a.m. the Cedar Rapids Fire Department was dispatched to the report of smoke in the kitchen and smoke alarms activating in an apartment unit at Westdale Court Apartments, 3919 20th Avenue SW.

Cedar Rapids

Firefighters arrived on scene of the two-story, multi-family residential apartment complex and made entry into a stairwell that leads to the second floor and found moderate smoke. A fire crew entered an apartment unit and started knocking down fire, but suddenly lost water pressure in the hose line and had to back out of the structure to obtain a different hose line. Another fire crew that was backing up the initial fire entry crew found a hole in the floor just inside the apartment entry. Upon inspection of baseboards and walls on the stairwell and landing area, firefighters found that fire was extending throughout the floor joists between the first and second floors of the apartment complex. There was also fire found beneath the second floor landing of the stairwell.

Westdale Court Apartments, 3919 20th Avenue SW, via apartments.com

At about the time that water pressure was lost, at approximately 1:35 a.m., there appears to have been a catastrophic failure of the hose line that caused blunt force trauma resulting in serious injuries to two firefighters that were outside of the structure. One firefighter was struck in the head and rendered unconscious. A second firefighter was struck in the chest and knocked down. Firefighters and Area Ambulance Service personnel provided emergency medical care to the firefighters. Both injured firefighters were transported to UnityPoint-St. Luke’s Hospital. The firefighter struck in the head sustained serious head injuries and has been transferred to the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. The other firefighter sustained injuries to the upper torso and remains hospitalized. The injuries, although serious, do not appear to be life-threatening.

Firefighters continued to attempt to extinguish the fire inside the apartment complex, however the fire had compromised the structural integrity of the floors, and firefighters moved fire suppression efforts to an exterior position by approximately 2:30 a.m.

Firefighters remain on scene as they continue to address any hot spots. There are also several hose lines frozen into the ground.

No occupants of the structure were injured. Five of the eight apartment units were occupied at the time of the fire. The displaced occupants are being assisted by the Grant Wood Chapter of the American Red Cross.

The extremely cold temperatures and wind chill conditions caused significant issues for firefighters. Firefighters experienced frozen hydrants, valves, nozzles, and hose lines, along with dangerous wind chill conditions. Nearby fire hydrants were also buried with snow.

The Fire Department was assisted by the Cedar Rapids Police Department, who brought a special response vehicle for firefighters to use to stay warm between fire suppression operations. Area Ambulance Service, in addition to transporting the injured firefighters, brought additional units to assist with keeping firefighters warm and continuously evaluating their medical condition. The City of Cedar Rapids Streets Department, Water Department, and Fleet Services sent personnel to assist with icy conditions, mitigating fire hydrant issues, keeping fire apparatus fueled, and performing mechanical services on fire equipment. The American Red Cross volunteers also supplied water and food to firefighters.

Both Alliant Energy and Mid-American Energy also responded to the scene.

The apartment building sustained major fire, smoke, and heat damage throughout. The origin and cause of the fire remains under investigation.

0 0 votes
Article Rating
Subscribe
Notify of
guest

0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

Even more news:

Watercooler
Copyright 2024 – Internet Marketing Pros. of Iowa, Inc.
0
Would love your thoughts, please comment.x
()
x