Flying Debris Sends Houston Firefighter to Hospital

Flames shot 30 feet in the air as Houston crews battled a blaze that broke out in a gated townhouse community in the city's Montrose neighborhood early Sunday.

April 28, 2019

A Houston firefighter was injured by flying debris while battling a blaze at a townhouse in a gated community early Sunday.

The department received a call about the fire at about 12:45 a.m. in the Montrose neighborhood, KPRC-TV reports. Flames were seen shooting 30 feet in the air from the blaze, and Deputy Chief Douglas Harrison told the TV station that the townhouse was "a big ball of fire" when crews reached the scene.

Five units in the gated complex were damaged by the fire, which also damaged nearby parked cars. Two of the units—a townhouse and a neighboring garage apartment—were ruled a total loss.

Eventually, the fire caused one of the unit's to collapse, and the flying wreckage hit a firefighter, according to KPRC. He was taken to a local hospital, and his injuries were not considered life-threatening.

No one else was hurt in the incident.