Three firefighters were put at risk while fighting a fire at a home east of downtown Monday evening when they had problems with their air masks, fire officials told News 4 WOAI.
The fire started close to 5 p.m. Monday at a home on Burnet St. When firefighters arrived, smoke was shooting out of the roof, authorities said.
The first team of firefighters went into the burning building and began having problems, firefighters said.
"We'd reached where the main fire was, and were in the process of extinguishing it when the B.A.'s started failing," Capt. Steven Ersch with San Antonio Fire Dept. said of the breathing tanks.
"They had no air," Ersch said of the firefighters. "So, the minute the masks failed, they basically took off their masks and started sucking in smoke, trying to find an exit."
Two firefighters jumped out windows to get to safety, officials said. A third firefighter also had a problem with the equipment.
"As he was getting ready to go on air, his mask just fell apart," Ersch said.
Firefighters brought in a spare mask, and within minutes the fire that engulfed the home was under control, authorities said.
Captain Alfred Lozano said the problems should not have happened.
"This was definitely mechanical failure," Lozano said of the equipment. "It's the same stuff we've been having over and over again."
The current equipment, made by Interspiro, has had dozens of problems, according to firefighters. City council has since picked a new company to provide breathing tanks, and they should be in use by the end of June, authorities said.
None of the firefighters were seriously hurt. An investigation into the equipment problems at the fire will start Tuesday, officials told News 4 WOAI.
