Statement on Injured Firefighter - Tenterfield
Published Date: 07 Sep 2019
Summary
A NSW Rural Fire Service volunteer firefighter has been seriously injured whilst fighting a fire near Tenterfield in the state’s north yesterday afternoon.
The man was one of two firefighters in a fire truck fighting the Mount Mackenzie Road fire, south of the Tenterfield township.
The firefighter has suffered serious burns to his hands, arm, legs, back, face and airways.
The fire truck was destroyed by fire.
The firefighter was transported to Tenterfield Hospital for initial treatment and was stabilised before being airlifted to Royal Brisbane Hospital. He is in a critical but stable condition.
The second firefighter was not injured.
NSW experienced unprecedented fire conditions for so early in the year, resulting in dangerous conditions for firefighters and the community.
Sadly, this injury serves as a sobering reminder about how dangerous the conditions are, and the risks that our firefighters take to protect their communities.
