SI Advance – February 04, 2016
by Nicholas Woodman
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Firefighter Lawrence Wasser, 23, who suffered severe burns to his hands fighting a three-alarm blaze in Huguenot on Monday, has been released from the Staten Island University Hospital Burn Unit. Wasser, a New Springville resident and propartionary firefighter who graduated from the Fire Academy in November, fell through the floor while fighting a fire at 1053 Sinclair Ave.
“While operating inside the home, the supportive beams on the first floor collapsed as a result of heavy fire conditions, causing Firefighter Wasser to fall through the floor and into the flame-filled basement below,” according to an FDNY statement.
Wasser suffered second- and third-degree burns to his hands.
Wasser smiled and shook hands with fellow firefighters as he walked out of the Staten Island University North Burn Unit — his right hand still covered in bandages. An FDNY spokesman declined to comment on his release.
On Monday, the powerful flames burned through beams in the basement, and part of the first floor collapsed as Wasser was entering the home to search for occupants, an FDNY chief told the Advance at the scene.
About 100 firefighters responded to the three-alarm blaze before it was brought under control at around 10 p.m., according to officials. The fire appeared to have started in the basement, an FDNY spokesman said.
The city Buildings Department issued a Full Vacate Order for the 2-story, 2-family structure due to the interior collapse, a Buildings spokesman said.
The Buildings Department did an inspection and found that the fire was concentrated in the area of the boiler and hot water heater, according to a spokesman for Buildings. The FDNY cut all gas and electric service to the home.
Several 2-foot-by-12-foot floor joists were completely destroyed by fire, causing the collapse of the dining room floor, the Buildings spokesman said.
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