A Bridgeport volunteer fireman was injured at the scene of a fire Saturday night.
Darrell Williams, about 56, was airlifted to Erlanger Medical Center in Chattanooga where Bridgeport Fire Chief Jimmy Sexton said Williams was still in critical condition Monday, but was improving.
Bridgeport Police Department said the fire call was received at 9:30 p.m. Saturday. The Billy Earl residence at 705 Freeman Avenue was heavily damaged, but the blaze was contained by Bridgeport firefighters with the help of Stevenson Volunteer Fire Department, Sexton stated.
He said Williams had gone to the scene of the fire in a van, which hauls turnout gear such as fire fighter coats, pants and other equipment.
Someone said the van was going to have to be moved to make room for laying fire hose from the fire truck. Someone got into the van and pulled it forward apparently without Williams hearing the directive, Sexton said.
The fire chief said as the van moved, Williams became unbalanced and fell out the back door of the van on his head, which struck the shoulder of the avenue, Sexton said. He stated fortunately Williams' head did not strike the pavement.
The fire chief said Williams "took a pretty hard lick" and that physicians are keeping a close swatch on swelling in his head, which has stopped,
Sexton said Williams' recovery "is going to take time."
Williams, who is retired from U.S. Gypsum in Bridgeport, had been a volunteer fireman approximately eight months.
Republished with permission of The Daily Sentinel.
