Ala. Chief Critical in Fire Destroying Four Homes

Oct. 5, 2010
The fire chief of the Dauphin Island Fire Department is in critical condition and two other firefighters were injured while battling a blaze that destroyed four homes last night.

The fire chief of the Dauphin Island Fire Department is in critical condition and two other firefighters were injured while battling a blaze that destroyed four homes last night, according to WALA-TV.

Fire Chief Brad Cox was airlifted to USA Medical Center after suffering burns at the house fire on Barcelona Drive that crews responded to around 9 p.m.

According to WKRG-TV, Cox sustained burns to the upper part of his body and is being treated in the Intensive Care Unit. As of 3:30 a.m. this morning, he was listed in critical condition.

Mayor Jeff Collier told the news station that the fire chief is expected to be OK but will have to endure a long recovery process.

Two other firefighters were rushed to the hospital and were treated and released.

The massive blaze in Dauphin Island -- possibly sparked by a fireplace before winds caused it to spread to nearby homes -- brought in firefighters from around the county.

"When I got to the top of the bridge it looked like the world was on fire," Alabama Port Fire Chief Patrick Burns told WALA-TV. "We got a call that Dauphin Island had a house on fire with a man down and found out it was the fire chief that was down."

It took crews several hours to extinguish the blaze.

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