A fire captain in Fresno, California was hospitalized after falling through the roof of a burning home.
Authorities say the firefighter was trying to ventilate the roof when the incident happened.
In a matter of minutes, a house fire in central Fresno turned into a rescue. A 25-year veteran firefighter helping ventilate a house fire from the rooftop fell into the inferno.
Firefighters scrambled to save their brother.
"To watch one of our own be so significantly hurt is a traumatic event," said Fresno fire Battalion Chief Todd Tuggle.
Most onlookers were in a daze. Others like Joe Reyes, a retired marine, jump in to help.
"I didn't hesitate. I just went to help the firefighters, knowing what was taking place, the horrific scene that I'd seen," Reyes said. "I helped with them kicking the hoses, removing the trash cans, even cutting the cable from the garage door."
"We could hear people screaming. We could hear people running in trying to help," Tuggle said. "We could hear several folks trying to direct traffic, trying to keep bystanders out."
Crews carefully removed the fire captain's equipment.
"The remnants of his uniform, his charred uniform burnt," Reyes said. "It can kind of tell a story just by looking at it, what hell we went through in those three minutes."
They loaded the firefighter into an ambulance and rushed him to Fresno's Community Regional Medical Center.
Dozens later joined him in a massive show of support as he underwent surgery. He had second- and third-degree burns all over his body.
"Very traumatic time for the fire service and for the Fresno Fire Department," said fire Chief Kerri Donnis. "We are a family, brothers and sisters, and as you can see here, we rally around each other."