Houston: Four firefighters were killed and 13 injured while trying to douse a massive fire that broke out at an Indian restaurant and spread to an adjacent motel near a busy highway here.
Three bodies were found in the rubble of the Southwest Inn motel, while a fourth firefighter died after being rushed to the closest hospital Friday. Thirteen firefighters were injured in the blaze that broke out Friday afternoon.
According to a Fire Department statement, the fire broke out at ‘Bhojan’, an Indian restaurant, causing a thick, black cloud of smoke across the Southwest Freeway at Hillcroft.
The statement identified the fallen firefighters as Matthew Renaud, 35, Robert Bebee, 41, Robert Garner, 29, and Anne Sullivan, 24, a recent graduate of the Houston Fire Department Academy.
Though details of the incident were sketchy, Fire Chief Terry Garrison said the cause of the fire at the Bhojan Restaurant and Southwest Inn was under investigation. The fire was under control by mid-afternoon.
The fire started at Bhojan Restaurant and spread to the neighbouring Southwest Inn, engulfing the entire complex.
The cause of the fire was not yet known. Bhojan restaurant posted a statement on their Facebook page saying everyone got out safe.
Garrison said all of the firefighters and people in the buildings are accounted for. He said firefighters died searching for civilians they thought were trapped in the building. Garrison confirmed the four fire fighters were killed when the roof of the structure collapsed.
“Unfortunately, the building had much more fire than we originally thought. The structure collapsed,” he added.
Mayor Annise Parker said that of the firefighters injured, one is in critical condition in the burn unit.
The flames spread quickly spread through the motel and the strong winds challenged the dozens of Houston firefighters who battled the blaze. (PTI)