A Williamsburg, Va. firefighter was burned while battling a fire on the night of Nov. 27 at his own home, according to The Virginia Gazette.
Firefighter Michael Trombley was treated for second- and third-degree burns to his arms and hands as well as smoke inhalation and was released later that night.
His family had just finished putting up their Christmas decorations when the back of the electrical outlet powering the lights ignited. The artificial tree began to burn and the flames spread to nearby curtains and up the walls.
Trombley told the newspaper that he escorted his wife, Staci, and his son out of the house and starting kicking the wall out before hosing the tree down with a fire extinguisher. He briefly ran outside for air before going back in.
The fire in the wall flared back up and he attempted to knock it down with a second extinguisher, but luckily the fire department arrived on the scene.
"I've seen so many people with house fires," he said. "You don't think of your own. It's definitely a different viewpoint."
The 11-year veteran of the Williamsburg Fire Department and a volunteer EMT had an axe, two fire extinguishers and a chain ladder ready in case of such an event..
Despite his injuries, Trombley returned to work yesterday morning.
