San Francisco Firefighter Critically Injured In Fall After Being Struck By Firehose
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) -- A San Francisco firefighter is in critical condition Monday evening after he fell and hit his head when he was struck by a hose line during a response to a high-rise fire downtown, fire officials said.
At around 3:30 p.m. firefighters responded to a fire on the 19th floor of a building at 55 Spear Street in San Francisco's Financial District, according to SFFD Lt. John Baxter, who spoke to the press about the incident at around 5:15 p.m.
After the incident was resolved, Baxter said an SFMTA Muni bus drove through the incident area. At the same time, a firefighter was inadvertently struck by a hose line and fell to the ground, hitting his head.
Baxter did not say if the Muni bus had somehow struck the hose or the vehicle the hose was attached to, causing a section of the hose to strike the firefighter.
The blow to the head rendered the firefighter unconscious and not breathing, Baxter said.
"This firefighter was transported by San Francisco firefighters to San Francisco General Hospital, where live-saving measures were in place," Baxter said. "The firefighter is in critical condition.
The firefighter was identified as Matt Vann, a six-year veteran of the department who is stationed at SFFD Station Number One. His family has been notified.
An earlier tweet by the San Francisco Fire Department indicated that a pedestrian might have actually been struck by a Muni bus.
Later, SFFF Local 798 tweeted, "It is so important to not drive through an active fire scene or over firehose. Someone's life depends on it. Please keep our Brother in your prayers."
