Jackson County Fire District No. 3 has been fined $5,000 for errors in a spring training exercise that burned three firefighters and melted their protective gear, according to the Mail Tribune.
OSHA cited the district for "serious violations" at the April 25 live burn at a house located at 1860 E. Pine Street in Central Point. Two volunteer firefighters and one district firefighter received minor burns after their gear was warped in the intense heat.
The report also states that the firefighters were exposed to the risk of a flashover.
The district has temporarily suspended live-fire training until a team that included outside experts could evaluate the accident, according to the newspaper.
"If the training objectives had been followed . . . this accident would not have occurred," the state's OSHA compliance officer wrote in the report.
The district voluntarily reported the injuries and appealing the citation and penalty, arguing that it had responded to the incident and ensured the safety of the firefighters.
A decision on the appeal is expected soon, officials told the newspaper.
