Serious Injury Report Report Slides F2025-08: Nine Career Firefighters Injured at Residential Structure Fire - Texas

Details

• Corporate Authors:
  Fire Fighter Fatality Investigation and Prevention Program (U.S.)
• Description:
  On August 30, 2025, two firefighters were seriously injured and seven sustained minor injuries while operating at a residential structure fire. At 21:10 hours, the city public safety answering point (PSAP) received a 911 call from an occupant reporting a fire in the master bedroom of a residential home. At 21:11 hours, the PSAP dispatched Tiller 11, Medics 3 and 11, Trucks 3 and 5, Engine 7, and Battalion Chief 2 (BC2) for a residential structure fire. At 21:17 hours, Tiller 11 and Medic 11 arrived on scene. Tiller 11 gave a size-up of a two-story residence with heavy smoke coming from the front door on Side Alpha. Captain 11 reported he was unable to conduct a 360 size-up, there was a hydrant on Side Alpha, and his crew would conduct a fast attack with a pre-connect. Captain 11 assigned Medic 11 firefighters to conduct search operations as both crews entered the structure, proceeding to the second division. Truck 3 and Medic 3 arrived on scene. BC2 arrived on scene with his incident command technician (ICT) and assumed command as the incident commander (IC). Truck 3 deployed a secondary hoseline and entered the structure. Between 21:20 and 21:33 hours, all interior crews worked on the second division in zero visibility conditions but were unable to locate the fire. Exterior crews deployed hoselines on Side Delta after locating the fire on the first division at the Side Charlie/Delta corner. At 21:34 hours, Tiller 11 and Medic 11 firefighters on the second division became low on air and decided to exit. Captain 3 (Truck 3 officer) reported that his crew was still operating on the second division but they were headed to Side Charlie sector as flames were visible. Tiller 11 firefighter ran out of air, and Captain 3 called a Mayday. Captain 11 then ran out of air. Medic 5 entered the structure as the rapid intervention team (RIT) and located Tiller 11 firefighter. They began to extricate him and, with the assistance of Truck 5, cleared the structure at 21:49 hours - followed by the remaining interior crews. Tiller 11 firefighter and Captain 11 were transported to a local hospital for treatment of significant smoke inhalation. Seven additional firefighters were transported to the local hospital and evaluated for smoke inhalation, an overexertion injury, and extreme dehydration. Contributing Factors: Scene size-up and risk assessment; Supervision of interior operations; Fire behavior, dynamics, and tactics; Air management and firefighter survival; Clear communication of assignments; Communication of critical information; Resources for responding to Mayday; Staged and available emergency medical services (EMS); Psychological safety. Key Recommendations - Fire departments should: 1) Ensure the first arriving resource completes an initial scene size-up and risk assessment to inform a risk-benefit analysis before committing firefighters to interior operations. 2) Ensure ICs immediately establish divisions/groups with a supervisor to communicate conditions and provide accountability. 3) Ensure each apparatus has established riding assignments to designate a crew officer. 4) Train firefighters and fire officers to select interior fire attack strategies and tactics based on fire conditions present. 5) Ensure firefighters and fire officers are properly trained in and use principles of air management and survival procedures for out-of-air emergencies. 6) Train firefighters and fire officers to use Task-Location-Objective assignments for clear communication of expectations. 7) Educate personnel on use of radio communication processes for sharing critical information, such as conditions and actions. 8) Ensure a rapid intervention team/crew is dedicated and in place during structural firefighting operations to immediately respond to a firefighter emergency. 9) Employ an on-deck crew in a forward staged position throughout the incident to be assigned to developing needs. 10) Ensure EMS with transport capability is on scene at any fire or special operation location to provide emergency medical care and transport. 11) Develop and implement a professional development program that promotes psychological safety, and effective safety communication during incidents as a key element for improving worker empowerment and decision making on the fireground.
• Subjects:
  Accidents, Occupational Firefighters Fires Occupational Health Occupational Injuries Safety
• Keywords:
  Region 6; Fire fighters; Fire fighting; Emergency responders; Recommendations; Fire safety; Training; Risk assessment; Smoke inhalation; Communications equipment; Safety practices
• FACE - Firefighter:
  Cause of Death Trauma (0004) ; Structure Fire (0011) ; Residential (0012)
• Series:
  Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation Reports (FACE)
• Subseries:
  Firefighter Fatality Investigation
• Publisher:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Field Study ; Report
• Place as Subject:
  Texas ; West Virginia ; Pennsylvania ; Philadelphia Region [OSHA] ; Dallas Region [OSHA]
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  DSR - Division of Safety Research
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  11 pdf pages
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20071040
• Citation:
  Morgantown, WV: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, FACE F2025-08, 2025 Dec; :1-11
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2026
• NORA Priority Area:
  Public Safety
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• NAICS and SIC Codes:
  92 - Public Administration - (NAICS)
• Start Date:
  20250830
• Source Full Name:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:9aa266d04da3a65b39fb296bf37b998d202d737fd18d8cea11ef2031f0cc2db81c10a39b78e719bcd7833bde5a4a27e12cde96fd075f4dde6cd7e6c57bac3abe
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/257816/cdc_257816_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 1010.12 KB ]