2 Mansfield firefighters injured by large branch during brush fire
MANSFIELD - Two Mansfield firefighters were injured when a large branch fell on them during a brush fire at an industrial park Friday afternoon.
Firefighters were called to 20 Cabot Blvd. at about 2:00 p.m. and found the entire wooded area between the street and the building on fire.
While working to contain the fire, a large dead branch fell from approximately 35 feet up, injuring the two firefighters, the department said. They were taken to Good Samaritan Medical Center in Brockton.
Firefighters in stable condition
One firefighter suffered injuries that included a facial bone fracture and was transferred to Boston Medical Center for further evaluation. The other firefighter had a minor shoulder injury and was released from the hospital.
"Both firefighters are in stable condition, and we are grateful for their resilience and commitment to ensuring the safety of our community," the Mansfield Fire Department said.
It is unclear how the fire started. The fire department said Friday was a busy day for brush fires locally and throughout the state. Hundreds of acres in Massachusetts have been burned by brush fires in the past week.
Red Flag Warning
A Red Flag Warning was issued by the National Weather Service Friday afternoon and is in effect until 6 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 9.
The NWS said the warning means that "critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now, or will shortly. Any fires that start may spread rapidly and become difficult to extinguish."
All of Massachusetts east of the Berkshires, northern Connecticut, and all of Rhode Island are included in the Red Flag Warning.