Twenty-two firefighters were hurt, three of them severely, after a fire erupted at a private home on Staten Island Friday and spread to the building next door, triggering a fourth alarm and collapse, department officials say.
The FDNY says a call about the fire on Shotwell Avenue in Arden Heights came in around 1:30 p.m. Flames extended next door and a collapse was reported in the back of the structure as more backup was called.
"As the firefighters were inside searching for occupants, the windows failed and the wind blew the fire intensely into the building, right at the firefighters," Chief of Department John Hodgens said at a news conference at Staten Island University Hospital.
Two of them became trapped, and one escaped by jumping from the balcony. Another one issued a mayday on the 2nd floor where he was rescued. A third seriously injured firefighter, a nozzleman, became disoriented when he got hit in the head with something, which knocked his gas mask and caused him to inhale smoke, Hodgens said.
All of the injured members are expected to survive. Doctors said they were alert and "cracking jokes."
Images from behind the house show the residence completely gutted, a total loss for the family residing inside.
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One man inside the house at the time was able to safely evacuate without injuries; no one else was home.
It's unclear what sparked the fire that grew to four alarms, but FDNY officials say they believe the flame started in the rear setbacks between two of the homes.
