53. Fire
FIFTY-THREE
Fire
STEVE
The Grant’s Crossing firefighters and paramedics arrived at a fire with flames already pouring out of several windows of the four-story office building. The fire was already threatening to spread to the neighboring offices.
“Alright, men,” Chief Travis announced to his firefighters after a quick update from the chief of a Delaware, Ohio, fire department. “We’re the second company, so we’re not in charge of the scene. We need to clear out this office building.”
In the time since the blow up at the Halloween party, Steve hadn’t been getting much sleep. He kept replaying his fight with Tara. He did his best to concentrate on other things, but he couldn’t help but worry about her.
He missed her.
Kiro was right. Steve definitely had feelings for her.
The chief’s voice pulled him from his thoughts. As he took in the smoking building in front of them, he pushed the fight from his mind. Fire was starting to overtake the adjacent building. It was only a matter of time before this building was engulfed in flames as well.
“Tim and Steve, make sure the third and fourth floors are clear,” Chief instructed them.
Steve and Tim jogged off to start climbing stairs, as the chief gave the other firefighters their assignments.
“FIRE DEPARTMENT CALL OUT!” Steve and Tim each yelled as they cleared rooms on the fourth floor to make sure no one was inside.
Fortunately, the fire broke out at the end of the work day, so almost everyone had already gone home. Smoke was already filling the hallway as he and Tim went from door to door to ensure everyone made it out of the fire safely. It didn’t take long for the fire to start to chew through both floors. They’d just finished clearing the third floor when part of the roof collapsed outside the stairwell on the east end.
“Come on,” Tim called with a wave. “We can go out the other end.”
More of the ceiling fell in front of them. Over their coms, the chief ordered an immediate evacuation. A thin line of flame crossed the hallway they needed to traverse to the other set of stairs.
“Run through it,” Steve called out to Tim, who nodded in agreement.
Knowing they didn’t have much time to get out, they started running to the other end of the building. Tim, who was a few steps ahead of Steve, made it through. The moment Steve stepped through the flames, the floor gave out beneath his feet. He plunged to the floor below with a yell, landing with a thud.
Tim turned back. “STEVE!”
Steve reflexively curled into a fetal position to protect himself as more of the ceiling fell on top of him.
Tim scanned the newly-exposed floor below for a way down. He opted to use his height to his advantage and dropped down to the pile under which Steve was now buried. He worked his way through the rubble until he found Steve. Tim tossed flaming debris to the side before the rest of the ceiling collapsed on top of them both. “STEVE! I’M COMING!”
On his way to help, more of the ceiling broke loose causing heavy furniture to slide down and add to the pile of debris on top of Steve.
Tim struggled to move a heavy oak desk off and had to pull off smaller pieces before finally uncovering him.
Steve’s helmet had fallen off and his mask was damaged in the fall, causing him to breathe in smoke. Tim’s voice sounded far away. While coughing, he slowly reached out for his helmet and put it back on his head. Large boards nearly covered his whole body along with the desk that had slid down and landed on his lower legs. Fortunately, Steve could still move his legs, but Tim still struggled with the desk.
Steve did a quick check of his arms and legs and was happy he avoided any major injuries. He could feel the heat, but couldn’t yet pull himself out from under the desk and debris.
Weight slowly lifted off him as Tim’s voice drew closer. “Steve!”
More weight lifted. Steve coughed.
“Steve,” Tim said as he reached under Steve’s arms to pull him out from underneath the heavy desk. “Can you walk?”
Steve only managed to cough as he nodded in response. With Tim’s help, he was able to limp toward safety, unable to put his full weight on his left ankle.
“I’ve got you,” Tim said as he led them to the back window. Setting Steve down for a moment, Tim used his Halligan to break the glass out of the back window, the only one not touched by flames. He helped Steve through the window and onto the back fire escape where Shek was ready to assist Steve down the last set of steps to the ground and away from the fire.
Coughing the entire way, Steve leaned on Tim and Shek, as they helped him around to the front of the building where Derek and Kiro stood at the ready.
“You got him?” Shek asked Tim before receiving a nod. Shek jogged over to help Emerson and Tank with the hoses to douse the flames pouring out of all the windows.
“He fell through the floor,” Tim explained as Kiro pulled the gurney over. He paused to cough. “Took me a minute to get him out from under all the crap that fell on top of him.”
Still coughing himself, Steve had already dropped his helmet and damaged mask on the ground when Kiro urged him over. His hand gave out as he grabbed the edge of the gurney to maintain his balance. He only stayed upright because Tim hadn’t let go of him yet.
“Shit!” His coughing worsened as he began rubbing the injured hand.
“He favored his left leg on the way out here and looks like his hand isn’t in great shape either.” Tim explained, earning him a glare from Steve.
“Alright,” Kiro patted the gurney. “Let’s get you up here.”
“I’m fine,” Steve grunted out before attempting to step on his left leg and falling against Tim.
“Yeah, right,” Kiro said, exchanging a dubious glance with Tim.
With Kiro and Tim’s help, Steve hopped onto the gurney so he could finally take the weight off his injured ankle.
Derek placed an oxygen mask over Steve’s mouth and nose while Kiro inspected his wrist and ankle. He grabbed a brace and gently wrapped it around Steve’s wrist. “Definitely a sprain, possibly a fracture. Ankle looks like a sprain.”
The chief approached the ambulance in time to hear Kiro’s preliminary prognosis and Steve’s subsequent swear words, which quickly turned into more coughing.
“Take him to Grady to get checked out.”
Steve grabbed the mask. “I’m fi…” The coughing took over again.
“Not a chance.” Chief Travis shook his head. “Go.”
Kiro and Derek strapped Steve to the gurney and got him into the ambulance.
“Thank god we’re taking you in,” Kiro declared while taking Steve’s vitals. “I’d hate to lose my sense of smell because I had to remove your boots to treat your ankle.”
Kiro laughed when Steve raised the middle finger of his good hand.
“At least your other hand works.”