FLINT (WJRT) -- (12/11/07)--Five Flint firefighters were sent to the hospital Tuesday night after suffering injuries while battling a fire. It happened at a home near the intersection of Center and Davison Roads just after 6 p.m.
Five firefighters were fighting the fire from inside the home when flames suddenly started rolling toward the ceiling. In a matter of seconds, one of the men was covered in flames and the others were forced to act fast.
"That was probably the worst I've ever seen as far as firemen coming out the house on fire," said witness Steve Shoup. "It was scary."
"All of a sudden, the smoke banked down," said Chief Theresa Root. "I saw it before I could even say anything in the radio. It's just like a dragon like they would blow flames. That's what it looked like."
All five firefighters escaped the burning house. Lt. Rodney Paterson ran out the door engulfed in flames -- at least 15 percent of his body covered by second degree burns.
Firefighters Dan McBride and Jermaine Smith were pulled from the burning house through a front window. One suffered burns, another a sprained wrist. A fifth firefighter suffered burns to his ears.
A young boy managed to escape the burning house. His mother, who wasn't home at the time of the fire, comforted him on the curbside.
Investigators say a 13-year-old lit a candle and likely started fire.
Lt. Paterson is said to be doing okay. Chief Root says the department will discuss what happened and look at ways to prevent it from happening again.
Republished with permission from WJRT-TV
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