Abstract: On March 11, 2007, Employee #1 was engaged in firefighting activity along with a coworker and some other firefighters at a residential structure fire. Employee #1 was attempting to locate and extinguish a fire located in the walls and floor of a deck with an axe, when he became tired and handed the axe off to his coworker. In order to remove two studs from the wall of the patio, the coworker took several swings of the axe. On the last swing, the coworker broke through both studs and the axe continued around striking Employee #1 in the right cheek. Employee #1 suffered deep laceration to the right side of his face and broken nose. Employee #1 was hospitalized for over 24 hours.