Ever since Tulsa firefighter James O'Neal got out of the hospital in January, he's been eager to get back to Station 19.
O'Neal was critically injured battling an apparent arson on New Year's Eve. On Monday, he returned to work and to his fellow firefighters, who were elated to have their brother back.
Investigators are still working to determine what happened to O'Neal and his breathing apparatus that caused it to fill with smoke while he was fighting a house fire in the 4900 block of North Elwood Avenue.
The investigation into the arson also is progressing, with fire marshals considering a few people as persons of interest, Fire Department spokesman Stan May said.
O'Neal, part of the fire crew that entered the burning house first, was not breathing when he was pulled from the structure. He had collapsed and had to be carried out by his fellow firefighters.
After several days in intensive care, O'Neal was released from the hospital less than a week after he was injured.
"There's not a whole lot about it I remember," he said Thursday.
He said that during his time in the hospital, he started to put things together about what happened.
Meanwhile, his fellow firefighters took the injury personally, doing whatever they could to develop more information about the blaze and worrying about their fellow firefighter's recovery.
"It was a very close call, and that doesn't happen very often," May said. "The training we did do wound up rescuing him in time so our paramedics could administer advanced life support and bring him back."
O'Neal said he was a little apprehensive about returning to duty, with the thought about what happened still in his mind.
But he knew he had to do so because of his love for the job and to support the firefighters who supported him.
"I want to get back and be there for them," he said.
O'Neal seemed spry while walking around the station Thursday, but his voice was still hoarse at some points. He said he felt like he was back to 100 percent.
"It was exciting" to get back to the station, O'Neal said. "It's good to actually get back and work.
"This job is a family."
May said the breathing apparatus was sent to independent investigators to try to determine whether the equipment malfunctioned. The department is still waiting on two independent reports about the investigation, May said.
A separate, internal Fire Department investigation also was conducted, which included interviews with firefighters who responded to the scene with O'Neal. May said all of the reports will be compiled once they are completed to inform the Fire Department's response to what happened.
The reward for anyone with information about the arson has reached $6,000, May said.
"They have some evidence that they need some individuals to come forward who can tie it together," he said.
McClatchy-Tribune News Service
