Pa. Firefighter Rescued After Becoming Trapped

July 23, 2012
New Castle Lt. John Onufrak Sr. was injured during a structural collapse.

A New Castle firefighter needed to be rescued from a burning commercial building Sunday night.

Lt. John Onufrak Sr. went in through a first floor entrance with a handline to fight the flames when a wall and ceiling collapsed on him, according to The New Castle News.

Two police officers rushed into the building to help firefighters drag Onufrak out to safety.

Onlookers could be seen outside the structure cheering on the responders during the ordeal.

Onufrak was conscious and talking when paramedics wheeled him on a stretcher to an awaiting ambulance that took him to Jameson Hospital.

Crews responded to the fire at 105 East Washington Street just before 8 p.m. to find flames shooting from the upper floor windows.

The building once housed the Black Whale bar, which has been closed since the 1970s.

The cause of the fire is currently under investigation.

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