Florida Firefighter Critically Injured in Blaze

Dec. 30, 2012
The Martin County firefighter was flown to Jackson Memorial Hospital for treatment.

A Martin County firefighter is in critical condition at the Jackson Memorial Burn Center in Miami after being injured during an early-morning structure fire Thursday in Stuart.

Two other firefighters suffered injuries that were not life-threatening, Martin County Fire Rescue officials said.

Jahwann McIntyre, 22, was flown by the LifeStar medical helicopter to Jackson Memorial, where he remained in critical condition Thursday evening, said Doug Killane, spokesman for Fire Rescue.

Fire officials did not release the names of the two other injured firefighters.

One was treated and released at the scene.

The other was treated and released after being taken to Martin Memorial South Hospital in Stuart, Killane said.

There were no other injuries reported.

According to a fire rescue report, crews responded shortly before 2:30 a.m. Thursday to calls to a residence in the 1100 block of Southwest Blue Water Way.

Crews were conducting a search for possible occupants trapped in the home when conditions began to deteriorate, the report said.

The firefighters were overcome by intense heat and fellow firefighters came to their rescue after a "mayday" call was initiated.

Throughout Thursday, emergency vehicles lined the road leading to the house. The house's metal roof was peeled back and charred furnishings were piled in the front yard.

Investigators by the afternoon had an arson dog on scene to sniff the house for any accelerants that could have been used to start the fire, officials said.

The cause of the fire is being investigated by the State Fire Marshal's Office.

Property records show that Bank of America owns the house.

It was not immediately clear how McIntyre was injured.

"It's under investigation at this point ... We won't have any information to give out on the investigation until we further along in it," Killane said.

McIntyre has been with the department for a little more than a year, Killane said.

TCPalm.com contributed to this story. [email protected]

Copyright 2012 The Palm Beach Newspapers, Inc.All Rights Reserved

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