UNITED STATES
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Abstract: At 2:30 p.m. on January 26, 2022, an employee, a Fire Officer, and a coworker, a Firefighter, were making an initial interior attack on a residential structure fire. The employees were on the first due engine to a reported residential home with heavy smoke and fire on the B and C sides of the home. The employee passed incident command to the arriving Battalion Chief and prepared to make entry. The employee and coworker pulled a 1-3/4-inch handline with a smooth bore nozzle to the front door and donned their SCBA facepieces, hoods, and helmets. The cowork er applied a hose stream from the exterior to cool the fire down. The employee f orced the front door and crawled into the structure approximately 5 feet, follow ed by the coworker on the nozzle. In zero visibility conditions, the nozzle was opened, striking the employee on the left side of the head, knocking his helmet and shifting his SBCA facepiece off to the side of his face. The employee took i n a breath of heated gas and smoke as he attempted to reseal his mask. The emplo yee was able to locate and reach the entrance to the home and bailed out into th e front yard. Another coworker, a Squad Officer, saw the bailout and called for a Mayday, and assisted the employee along with other firefighters until paramedi cs arrived to treat and transport him to the hospital. The employee was admitted for treatment of smoke inhalation.