BEDFORD, Va. (AP) - Four firefighters were injured while responding to a house fire near Bedford, fire officials said Sunday.
A news release from the Bedford County Department of Fire & Rescue said multiple volunteer units responding to the blaze Saturday evening found heavy fire coming from a house on Joppa Mill Road.
A crew fighting the fire on the first floor reported high heat and limited visibility, so backed up to reposition.
After a “mayday” call came from the scene during the repositioning, a rapid intervention team was sent in and found one unresponsive firefighter, who was immediately removed from the house. Two other firefighters were also experiencing an emergency and were helped from the home.
No one else was injured.
Bedford County Department of Fire & Rescue Chief Jack Jones told The Roanoke Times that the firefighter who was found unresponsive is expected to fully recover. She and another firefighter were expected to be released from hospitals Sunday evening.
The other two firefighters were treated and released earlier. The department did not release their names.
The Bedford County Fire Marshal’s Office and Bedford County Sheriff’s Office are investigating both the fire and the “mayday” incident.
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