Colo. Firefighter Still Critical After Wildland Fire
Source Story by thedenverchannel.com
YUMA COUNTY, Colo.
A firefighter in Yuma County remains in critical condition four days after she was burned fighting the Heartstrong Fire.
Jennifer Struckmeyer, her brother-in-law, Damon Struckmeyer, and a third firefighter, Darin Stuart, were burned fighting the fire on Sunday afternoon in eastern Colorado.
Jennifer Struckmeyer's mother-in-law told 7NEWS when the firefighters were running back to the truck, Struckmeyer tripped and her boot came off. The fire swept over the firefighters.
Jennifer has second- and third-degree burns. She underwent some surgeries on her burns Wednesday, according to the Yuma County Sheriff's Office.
"It was reported that it went better than expected," officials said in a news release. "Jennifer continues to fight heroically every day to heal from her injuries."
Damon is undergoing outpatient treatment on Thursday for burns to his back and arms. Darin is healing at home from facial burns, officials said.
Fire Losses
The fire began about 1:15 p.m. Sunday near County Roads 23 and 26 and was rapidly spread by winds gusting to 65 mph, said Ana Baucke, a spokeswoman for the Yuma County Sheriff's Office.
The fire burned 24,000 acres, officials said, after an aerial survey of the area.
Two homes were destroyed.
The Sheriff?s Office said 40 to 50 head of cattle were either killed in the fire or euthanized due to injuries suffered in the fire. However 300 to 400 head are still unaccounted for.
About 80 miles of fence will need to be replaced and the farmers and ranchers will need to condition their land against top soil blowing away from high winds, officials said.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation and the Yuma County Sheriff?s Office is working with electrical company experts to determine an exact cause. It does appear to have started due to an electrical spark of some kind.
Report a typo or inaccuracyIf you have a news tip or a follow-up to this story, e-mail us.Copyright 2012 by TheDenverChannel.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
