
Two Indianapolis (IN) firefighters were injured early Wednesday morning during a roof collapse on the fireground, according to a release from the department.
The fire occurred just after 1 a.m. on September 11, 2024, in a two-story residence at 8218 Retreat Lane. The firefighters were conducting a last-second search on the second floor prior to exiting the home and preparing for defensive operations. They heard a loud noise and the roof fell in. Both firefighters were stuck in the burning debris, which included roof joists, flooring, and drywall. A Mayday was immediately declared; within a minute of the collapse, the crews were able to remove themselves from under the debris and exit the structure.
Both firefighters were transported emergent to an area medical facility, one with serious but nonlife-threatening injuries, the other with minor injuries.
The family who was home at the time of the fire credits their four-year-old dog, Rockne, for alerting them to the fire and allowing them to get out. Although the home is equipped with working smoke alarms, the alarms did not activate, as the fire was initially outside. As soon as the family escaped the home, the fire took hold in the attic and quickly spread. Homes on either side were also affected by the fire and evacuated, the Indianapolis Fire Department reported.
The fire on the back deck of the home is thought to have been caused by discarded smoking materials.
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