Three firefighters battling a Staten Island blaze Wednesday miraculously escaped serious injury after a wooden floor collapsed — sending them crashing one level below.
The Bravest were called to a burning building on Hylan Blvd. in Great Kills just before 1 a.m., fire officials said.
When firefighters arrived, flames had already engulfed a second floor apartment which sits atop Bella Home Improvements. As firefighters attacked the blaze, the floor suddenly buckled.
Three firefighters plummeted from the second floor down to the first, narrowly missing colleagues. They were trapped under debris for several minutes, but only suffered bumps and bruises, officials said.
“A group of firefighters on the first floor were very lucky that there was nobody that sustained serious injuries,” said Assistant Chief James Esposito. “It involved quite a bit of weight. Structural wood did come down, and we’re very fortunate that nobody was in the direct path of this fall.”
Two residents got out of the apartment before emergency workers got there.
The cause of the fire, which was brought under control at 2:13 a.m., was under investigation.
(Source: NY Daily News)