A firefighter faced an unexpected jolt while attending to a residence affected by fallen power lines on the southeast side of Indianapolis Wednesday night.
The Indianapolis Fire Department has reported that a 29-year-old firefighter, who has served for four years, experienced an electric shock while operating a chainsaw on the roof of a single-story home in the 6300 block of East Berwyn Street. A firefighter experienced a shocking incident, plummeting 12 feet before landing in the backyard of a home.
At the scene, the 29-year-old received assistance from his fellow firefighters before being transported to Eskenazi Hospital by medics. Reports indicate that the firefighter is currently in serious condition as he was taken to the hospital.
Officials have confirmed that the firefighter is awake, alert, oriented, and communicating while undergoing routine testing. The latest update indicates that the firefighter is currently in stable condition.
According to IFD, crews arrived at Berwyn Street at approximately 5:17 p.m. to look into a reported house fire. Firefighters responded swiftly to the scene, discovering a flaming tree limb precariously positioned against a garage. Authorities have confirmed that fallen power lines were found scattered across the garage roof.
IFD reports that AES Indiana crews responded to the scene to support firefighters.
In a busy two-hour window, IFD crews tackled 309 active incidents, with numerous reports of storm-related dangers such as downed power lines and fallen trees. During that same period, the fire department responded to three residential fires.
A powerful storm system swept through central Indiana early Wednesday evening, likely responsible for the majority of the damage reported. Severe storms moved out of the area just after 7 p.m.
