NORFOLK, Va. — A Norfolk firefighter fell though the second floor of a home on Wednesday while battling a fire.
Just before 9 a.m. Norfolk Fire and rescue were called out to a home on White Chapel Road.
The homeowner told News 3 he was upstairs when he began to smell smoke and heard his smoke detector going off.
When he went downstairs he saw flames in the laundry room.
He said he went outside to grab a hose to try and put the fire out but it was frozen.
The homeowner made it out with his dog and cat before fire crews went inside.
"Crews attacked the fire from the inside while other crews went upstairs to do a search for victims," Battalion Chief Glen Williams, of Norfolk Fire-Rescue, said. "While doing the search for victims one of our crew members fell through the floor down to the first floor."
Williams said a second firefighter went through the floor to make sure the first firefighter was okay.
The second fire fighter was hurt, but both continued to fight the fire until it was out.
Williams said it's the time of year when the temperature drops and calls for service go up.
"I want to say today we've had either six or seven structure fire calls already," Williams said. "It's been an extremely busy day. This is our first cold snap. I don't know if they're all related to the cold weather, we are having but this is defiantly a busier time of year for most fire departments in our region."
The homeowner said he did not have a space heater in his home at the time of the fire.
While the exact cause is still under investigation, it does appear to be accidental.
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Williams said it's important for the community to check its smoke detectors.
"Make sure you have working smoke detectors," Williams said. "One on each floor, and if you can, one in each bedroom and test them weekly because smoke detectors do save lives."
Four people were displaced from this fire.
The homeowner said he has home insurance and is being assisted by the American Red Cross.
