UPDATE: San Francisco Firefighter Injured In Freak Hose Accident Leaves Hospital
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) -- A San Francisco firefighter who suffered a head injury in a freak accident after helping extinguish a fire in a high-rise building earlier this month was released from the hospital Wednesday.
Matt Vann, a six-year veteran of the department who is stationed at SFFD Station Number One, has been receiving treatment in the neuro-trauma unit at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital since being injured on November 2.
The San Francisco Fire Department posted video on Twitter of Vann being released Wednesday afternoon.
The post said he was transported to a rehabilitation center and was in good spirits. He was greeted by a large group of firefighters who cheered as he was wheeled on a stretcher to a waiting ambulance.
The post also thanked hospital staff for their work.
Vann suffered a serious head injury during the response to a high-rise fire downtown on the 19th floor of a building at 55 Spear Street in San Francisco's Financial District.
After the fire had been extinguished and crews were at the street level putting away equipment, Vann fell and hit his head after being struck by a hose line. San Francisco Fire Department authorities later said that an SF Muni bus drove through the scene outside the building.
Officials 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, but the incident was being investigated.
After suffering the head injury, Vann underwent two surgeries and stayed in the ICU until his release Wednesday.
San Francisco Firefighters Union 798 also launched a fundraiser to help Vann and his family (he has an 8-year-old son) through the SF Fire Credit Union. Interested parties can still donate by calling 415-674-4800 and referencing the SFFD Matt Vann Fund -- 175373-2100.
