A Bowie volunteer firefighter was hospitalized after sustaining burns while batting a house fire over the weekend, according to Prince George's County Fire/EMS.

Firefighter Patrick Ivey, 26, had his helmet knocked off while the crew he was with was advancing a hoseline up the stairs of a structure to attack the fire on the second floor of a burning house on Sept. 4.

While he was putting the helmet back on, debris fell down, striking him in the head. He quickly placed the helmet on his head and continued up the stairs.

Once outside, he was treated for burns on his head. During the time the helmet was off, embers and debris came in contact with his skin, causing him to sustain third degree burns through his protective hood.

Ivey was transported to the Burn Unit at the Washington Hospital Center where he is expected to undergo his first surgery today. Doctors will be debriding the burns on his head and scalp and then most likely work on the burn near his temporal lobe with a grafting procedure.

The department said he will ultimately need some cosmetic surgery as well after the healing process begins.

Bowie Volunteer Fire Chief Lee Havens said that Ivey is in good spirits and has been in constant company of his fellow firefighters.

Crews responded to the fire in the 1000 block of Whistling Duck Way in Upper Marlboro at approximately 7:30 p.m. and found flames consuming the rear of the structure and extending up and through the roof, according to the press release.

The bulk of the fire was knocked down in about 45 minutes by 40 firefighters with the fire being completely extinguished about 60 minutes later.

The exact cause of the fire remains under investigation and the fire loss is estimated at $290,000.