According to a report from CBSDFW, one man has died and a Mesquite Fire Department (MFD) firefighter suffered second-degree burns on his hand in a late-night explosion that ignited an apartment at the Country Club Apartments on Pinehurst Lane, near LBJ and La Pradain, in Mesquite, Texas, at around 11:00 p.m.
MFD firefighters were responding to a medical call and performing CPR on a man when oxygen equipment exploded and sparked the fire.
Officials are unsure if the victim died before or during the fire, but they said flames overtook the area quickly, and MFD crews were unsuccessful in their attempt to remove him from the apartment. The responding MFD crew was not wearing any fire gear while helping the patient, but they quickly ran out of the apartment, donned personal protective equipment, returned, and carried the victim out.
MFD Lieutenant Jon Moore said he had never seen anything like this incident. Flames engulfed the attic space as crews were not wearing any PPE as the apartment completely flashed.
The incident is now under investigation.
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