Firefighter hurt in fiery collapse released from hospital

Fire officials in Baltimore say a firefighter has been released from a hospital three days after surviving the collapse of a burning vacant home that killed three colleagues

Vacant Home Fire

An injured Baltimore firefighter was released from the hospital Thursday, three days after surviving the collapse of a burning vacant home that killed three colleagues, the fire department said.

The Baltimore City Fire Department tweeted that EMT firefighter John McMaster was released from the University of Maryland Medical Center’s Shock Trauma Center with photos of McMaster being greeted by colleagues as he left the hospital.

McMaster and three other firefighters were battling the rowhome blaze early Monday when the three-story building partially collapsed, trapping them, fire Chief Niles Ford has said. Crews removed piles of debris to reach the firefighters and McMaster was immediately pulled out and taken to a hospital, Ford said.

Two other firefighters were pronounced dead at the hospital and another at the scene Monday. Ford identified those killed as Lt. Paul Butrim, firefighter/paramedic Kelsey Sadler and EMT/firefighter Kenny Lacayo.

Sadler was posthumously promoted to the rank of lieutenant, the department announced Thursday.