Firefighter Falls Out Of Bucket While Battling Blaze At Old Fisher Auto Plant

DETROIT (WWJ) - Authorities say a firefighter was injured when he fell out of a bucket while battling a blaze at the old Fisher Auto Plant in Detroit.

Fire crews were called to the vacant auto plant near I-94 and I-75 just after 7:30 a.m. Wednesday after the blaze apparently rekindled. Crews had initially responded to the plant around 4:30 a.m. to extinguish the fire.

Two firefighters were in the bucket on top of a ladder when part of the building started to collapse. One firefighter stayed in the bucket, while the other jumped out and fell to the ground below.

“The front fascia of the building here, just a very small piece of it collapsed but as it was coming down, that’s where the bucket was,” WWJ’s Bill Szumanski said from over the scene in Chopper 950. “The firefighter fell out and tumbled down maybe 10, 12 feet to the ground. They quickly administered first aid to the firefighter and got him off to the hospital.”

The firefighter, who was briefly knocked unconscious, was last reported in stable condition. It’s unclear how badly he was injured. Officials said he is in his mid-30s, although his name was not released.

“He’s a great firefighter, a young guy, probably got about 10 years on the job now,” Second Fire Commissioner Craig Dougherty told WWJ’s Vickie Thomas.

Fire Chief Stanley Davis said a counselor will be on hand for the rest of the day to talk things over with the crew.

“Just for the guys to talk, to be able to express any concerns or anything like that. It’s like family members. Anytime one of your family members is hurt, everybody hurts,” he said.

A cause of the fire remains under investigation. Arson is suspected.

Stay with WWJ Newsradio 950 and CBSDetroit.com for the latest.