It took 26 minutes to get a fire under control in Saskatoon last night and in that time frame, a firefighter and a person being rescued from the second story, fell from the rescue ladder. Fire Chief Morgan Hackl says the call came in at 8:10 p.m. from 221 Avenue N South. The firefighter and the occupant of the house fell about 3 metres, or 10 feet.

Ground ladders were set up on the exterior of the building to help for evacuation and safety. The searching fire crews found an occupant on the second floor and determined it was safest to rescue the person out the second floor window to a low slope roof. From the roof a firefighter was helping the home’s occupant down the ladder when both fell from the ladder to the ground.

Chief Hackl says they don’t have information on the injury status of the person being rescued although they do know the man was suffering from smoke inhalation. However the firefighter, a 12 year veteran, suffered a broken clavicle and a broken rib. Chief Hackl says any time there is a structure fire, crews gather together and the information is captured and that critique will be passed on to Occupational Health and Safety.

Chief Hackl says the last time a fire fighter fell from a ladder was when they were fighting a fire at the old railway station on Idylwyld Drive. Damage at this point is estimated at 100 thousand dollars and the fire investigator has ruled that an improperly used extension cord overheated causing the fire.