CHESTER, Pa. (KYW Newsradio) — Multiple firefighters were rushed to a hospital after battling an overnight house fire in Chester, Delaware County.
Officials said the fire started shortly after midnight Sunday and totally engulfed two connected houses on Baker Street near 12th Street. The fire took about two hours to get under control.
"During the firefight... basically, the floor basically kind of went through and [one firefighter's] leg kind of got stuck in the floor. We had to basically assist him getting out of the hole. He was taken to Crozer [Hospital]," said Chester Bureau of Fire Battalion Chief John-Paul Shirley.
Shirley said two other firefighters were injured, and also taken to Crozer, where they were treated for minor wounds. "One of the captains blew a knee out and another captain received some minor burns to the back of the neck," he detailed.
Fire officials believe the houses were vacant. "I don't believe it was occupied at the time. Our crews did conduct searches, primary and secondary searches, and there were no occupants found in the building," Shirley said.
All three firefighters have since been released from Crozer. Officials are investigating the origin and cause of the fire.
