2 Charlotte Firefighters Injured in Roof Collapse

CHARLOTTE, N.C. --

Two Charlotte firefighters are recovering from injuries after they were inside a burning house that collapsed on top of them.

Neighbor George Carvajal said he heard an explosion as he was pulling out of his driveway for work. Then he saw the flames from the garage.

"It was pretty big -- big flames," Carvajal said.

Paul Parks and Chris Ingram of Engine Company 38 responded to a two-alarm house fire on Rocky Trace Way in the Southbridge Forest subdivision Tuesday morning. That's near the state line.

Ingram and Parks were inside a burning garage while three other firefighters were attacking the fire right above them in a room over the garage.

Fire Captain Rob Brisley said the area quickly became dangerous.

"The battalion chief ordered an evacuation tone, a signal to pull all firefighters out," he said.

But within seconds the roof and second floor fell in, throwing all five firefighters into a pile of burning debris.

Brisley said they acted quickly to save the two men who were on the lower floor in the garage.

"They climbed out of the burning debris and immediately turned around and went to rescue the additional firefighters."

Parks and Ingram were described as bruised and banged up, but otherwise okay.

The fire started in the garage of the home, but the cause has not been determined.

The homeowners didn't want to talk on camera, but told Eyewitness News they're glad firefighters are okay.

There was also a dog in the home that a neighbor was able to rescue.

The Red Cross is helping the family, and several neighbors offered them food, clothes, and a place to stay.

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