SOUTHWEST MIAMI-DADE, FLA. (WSVN) - A firefighter is recovering in the hospital, after he was injured while battling a brush fire in Southwest Miami-Dade, Wednesday.
7Skyforce HD flew over the scene as crews responded to the brush fire along a tree line near Southwest 132nd Avenue and 288th Street.
Officials said the fire was relatively small but wasn’t easy to get to.
One Miami-Dade Fire Rescue firefighter was injured when a tree snapped and fell on him, hitting him in the head and knocking him unconscious.
“During our operation, a tree had fell on one of our firefighters, knocked him unconscious,” said Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Lt. Felipe Lay.
He was airlifted to Jackson Memorial Hospital. Officials said the injured firefighter suffered a serious head injury but regained consciousness on the way to the hospital, and by the time he arrived at Ryder Trauma Center, he was alert and talking.
The injured firefighter underwent several tests and was monitored closely overnight. He is expected to be OK, but he will be kept at the hospital for observation.
Family and fellow firefighters rushed to be by his side at the hospital.
Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez arrived at Jackson Memorial Hospital moments later.
“I’m here to see how he’s doing and wish him the best,” said Gimenez.
The injured firefighter has served the community for 12 years.
“Serious condition, he’s very groggy. I did speak to him, and he is — just as you can imagine — just in a lot of pain and not really talking much,” said Omar Blanco from the Dade County Association of Firefighters.
Officials said this type of incident is a rare occurance, but it does happen.
“This demonstrates that just even on a simple brush fire call, you know, there’s danger, and there’s danger every time a firefighter goes out and answers a call,” said Gimenez.
The cause of the fire is currently under investigation.
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