Firefighter injured trying to save Merced boys in house fire, chief says

The tragic house fire that killed two small boys late Monday "was so hot" it also injured a firefighter wearing full protective gear, according to the fire chief.

Chief Michael Wilkinson said crews responding about 10 p.m. to the house fire in the 900 block of 10th Street were told children were possibly inside so firefighters went straight into "rescue" mode before attacking the flames.

The 2-year-old and 5-year-old boys died before first responders could get to them, Wilkinson said. "Really sad," he said on Tuesday.

When firefighters fight a blaze, they typically ventilate the building through the roof to help suppress the fire while maintaining the safety of the crew, he said.

"They did everything they could to try to find any victims," he said. "In that process, we did not have time to ventilate the building."

The first firefighter though the door, who was wearing his full gear, received third-degree burns to his ears and second degree burns to one of his feet. The firefighter, whose name was not released on Tuesday, has been with the department for less than a year, Wilkinson said.

The firefighter was treated at Mercy Medical Center in Merced before being transferred to a Fresno hospital. He was released Tuesday, Wilkinson said.

"We'll see how quickly he recovers," he said.

Investigators with Merced police and Calfire Merced County are working with local fire crews to investigate the scene and what caused the blaze, which is routine, he said.

This story was originally published April 24, 2018 at 2:58 PM with the headline "Firefighter injured trying to save Merced boys in house fire, chief says."