SAN FRANCISCO --
Critically injured San Francisco firefighter Anthony Valerio continued to battle for his life Friday with his family by his side and his colleagues gathered outside in prayer.
Valerio was injured when a flashover engulfed he and two other firefighters in flames as they battled a two-alarm house blaze in San Francisco's Diamond Heights neighborhood.
Fellow fighter Lt. Vincent Perez, 48, was killed and a third firefighter was treated and released for undisclosed injuries.
Mark Valerio told KTVU Friday that his family has been at his brother's bedside.
"It's going to be another day like yesterday," he told KTVU."Trying to get him stabilized, he's still in really rough shape. He made it past the day . . . The longer he's there the better things will be."
Mark Valerio said the major challenge for Anthony was breathing with his injured lungs.
"His burns are pretty much taken care of," he said."They are bandaged up…We're doing okay. We cry every once and while. We are trying to keep it together. We have a big family and a lot of people are here."
Mark Valerio said one of his sisters was flying in Friday morning from Palm Springs and another had arrived from Indio. He also told KTVU that Anthony's fellow firefighters have also been a part of the vigil.
"It's nice to know he has a second family," Mark Valerio said the of the firefighters."They care for each other really well -- a tight family."
The SF Fire Department also has its chaplains nearby to comfort the family.
Mark Valerio said his brother was unconscious.
"I think it's better for him to be unconscious," he said with emotions overcoming his voice. "I think it will help his body if he is not moving around. I'd like to be able to talk with him . . . Hopefully I will be able to someday. It's pretty bad. We're hoping for the best, but…"
Meanwhile, the investigation continued at the fire scene as officials try to determine a cause for the blaze and what triggered the flashover. A CalOsha team was expected to join the investigation on Friday.
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