One firefighter was killed and two others were injured in a massive fire at a shopping center in San Antonio on Thursday night.
More than 60 fire units responded to the blaze after it broke out in the Ingram Park shopping center just after 9 p.m. Thursday, KENS reported.
San Antonio Fire Department Chief Charles Hood said crews initially entered the shopping center to battle the blaze but were forced to evacuate after parts of the building started to collapse from the intense flames.
Hood confirmed the death of Scott Deem, a six-year veteran of the department, KENS reported.
“[It’s a] Very rough decision to leave a firefighter behind, and that’s not what we do,” Hood said during a media briefing. “But we had the risk of losing an additional 15 or 20 firefighters if we did not go defensive on the fire.”
The two injured firefighters were transported to area hospitals in unknown conditions, KENS reported. Hood said both firefighters are expected to survive.
Firefighters were seen forming two columns and saluted an ambulance that departed the scene just after midnight Friday morning.
Fighting back tears during the media briefing, Hood asked for prayers for the fire department.
“We’re hurting,” he said.
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