Two firefighters injured in ceiling collapse during southeast side fire
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Two firefighters were injured after a ceiling collapsed as they were fighting a house fire on the far southeast side early Wednesday morning.
The Indianapolis Fire Department says one firefighter has serious injuries that are not life-threatening and the other has minor injuries.
Around 1:15 a.m. Wednesday, fire crews were called to a home in the 8200 block of Retreat Lane, in a neighborhood near Acton Road and Maze Road, just south of I-74 on the southeast side.
Firefighters on the scene tell News 8 that a ceiling collapsed, trapping the firefighters inside. IFD later said the firefighters escaped from under the debris and evacuated themselves.
Both firefighters were sent to Eskenazi Hospital. No other injuries were reported.
IFD says they believe the fire was caused by “improperly discarded smoking materials.”
The family of four – two adults and two children – and two dogs were displaced from their home. They credit their 4-year-old dog Rockne for waking them up and saving them.
The family says Rockne was sleeping in the parents’ bedroom when he started barking. The father woke up and saw the fire extending up the back of the house. He then alerted the rest of the family and all six of them – including the dogs – escaped safely.
IFD adds that the house had working fire alarms but they didn’t activate since the fire started outside. The neighboring houses were affected by the flames. Those residents also evacuated safely.
