DETROIT – Local 4 has learned from arson investigators that four firefighters, not just two, were injured fighting a fire at a liquor store on East Ferry Avenue and Chene Street on the Detroit's east side Wednesday night.
Two firefighters were badly injured by falling debris -- it was caught on camera.
Local 4 cameras were rolling as pieces of a roof came crashing down on top of a firefighter on a ladder. Bricks came crashing down on top of the firefighter knocking his helmet off, his head battered by debris.
He looked stunned. He's said to have closed head injuries.
Below him, it's discovered that debris also hit a firefighter on the ground.
That man has been identified as Vincent Fields from Engine 17.
With two firefighters injured, you could see the frantic effort fellow firefighters made to drag the firefighter on the ground out of harm's way. That firefighter appeared knocked out -- but then he opened his eyes. He suffered a severe neck injury and a compound fracture to his ankle.
Two other firefighters suffered hand and shoulder injuries.
Firefighters did not wait for medics to arrive; all four were transported to the hospital on fire engines.
Arson investigators believe the fire is suspicious and want to know if several breaking and entering cases at the store have anything to do with the blaze.
Sources told Local 4 that the fire burned so fast from the bottom level up a wall into the roof, they are now using an arson dog to see if the fire was intentionally set.