Firefighter injured battling Dormont blaze talks to Channel 11

DORMONT, Pa. — A firefighter who was injured battling a house fire Thursday in Dormont continues recovering in a local hospital.

While battling flames at a home on Crosby Avenue Thursday morning, Mt. Lebanon Platoon Chief Tim Brown plunged through the second floor.

Brown said when the mayday call went out, he was in a free-fall.

“It was like stepping out of a plane, actually void space. When I started falling, I started getting my arm up because I couldn’t see. Everything was black,” Brown said. “I actually hit the floor and hit my ribs. That’s when I broke them.”

Channel 11’s Renee Kaminski asked Brown if his life flashed before his eyes.

“No, I didn’t even have time for that,” he said.

Brown said his partner fell through the floor, as well, but he wasn’t injured.

“I was trying to take some windows out to get some of the heat and smoke out so we could see where the fire was. Next thing I knew, I was taking a ride,” Brown said.

Brown said community service is a calling he shares with his sons.

“I’m a fireman. My dad’s a fireman and my grandfather was a fireman,” Brown’s son, Jason, said.

Jason Brown, a Marine Corps firefighters, said he looks up to his dad.

“I think getting to help people is probably one of the best aspects of being a fireman. And obviously getting to ride around in a fire truck, there’s nothing like that,” Jason Brown said.

Tim Brown’s wife, Leslie, is working to get her husband better so they can go visit their youngest son before he deploys to Afghanistan.

“I really, really appreciate all the phone calls and emails. It’s great, but I need to get back out there again,” Brown said.

RELATED STORY:

WPXI