HOUSTON -- One of the three firefighters who was severely burned earlier this month was released from the hospital Friday. The remaining two are still hospitalized. They were trapped while battling a two-alarm apartment fire in southeast Houston on Jan. 7.
Jonathan Guzman was allowed to leave Memorial Hermann Hospital. In the video above, you can see fellow Houston firefighters saluting him as he left.
Guzman, Capt. Edward Escamilla and firefighter Darren Jones had second- and third-degree burns to their hands, legs and neck.
The fire broke out just before 5:30 a.m. on Jan. 7 at an apartment complex near Jarmese Street and Coffee Street.
The firefighters ran into one of the burning units to make sure everyone was out and ended up getting caught in an entrapment.
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A spokesperson for the Houston Fire Department said the firefighters were injured after getting trapped inside one of the apartments by a fallen door. They issued a mayday, and another firefighter ripped the door open to help get the trapped firefighters to safety.
Fire officials said the firefighters' gear melted due to the extreme heat during a flashover, which caused the temperature to rise significantly.
"Their equipment melted, their air packs melted on their backs. Their helmets were melted. They were very close to losing their lives," Mayor John Whitmire said.
Officials added that their equipment did its job but was compromised.
The fire escalated to a two-alarm response, prompting additional crews to help control the flames.
The cause of the fire is under investigation by the arson division.