EVERETT — An Everett firefighter fell from a second-story balcony while battling a fire at an abandoned house early Thursday, officials said.
Just before 12:45 a.m., crews responded to reports of 7-foot flames coming from the back of a home in the 2000 block of 26th Street, just west of Broadway, according to the Everett Fire Department.
When firefighters arrived, they found the two-and-a-half-story home was abandoned. They fought the fire from the outside. After a while, they were able to enter the home and search for occupants, according to the fire department.
While fighting the fire, two firefighters were on a second-story balcony to remove a sheet of plywood when a railing collapsed, fire officials said. One of the firefighters fell 12 to 15 feet. The firefighter was taken to Providence Regional Medical Center Everett with non-life threatening injuries and was released a few hours later. He was at home recovering with family Thursday.
“I am so grateful that our team member is back at home recuperating, and I wish him a speedy recovery,” Everett Mayor Cassie Franklin said in a press release. “I hold immense respect and appreciation for our brave first responders and their willingness to walk toward danger. Incidents like this remind us of the risks they take every day to keep our community safe.”
By just after 1:30 a.m., crews had extinguished the house fire. They found no one inside.
The cause of the fire was under investigation Thursday.
Jake Goldstein-Street: 425-339-3439; jake.goldstein-street@heraldnet.com; X: @GoldsteinStreet.
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