Dublin firefighter rushed to hospital after breathing mask fails
A DUBLIN FIRE fighter was hospitalised in the early hours of yesterday morning after her breathing apparatus failed while she was on a rescue mission at a domestic house fire.
The emergency worker is believed to have inhaled potentially toxic smoke when a valve failed or detached from her mask while she attended an emergency on Richmond Road, Drumcondra, at around 3.30am.
There had been reports of a person inside the burning house and a number of firefighters were in the basement when one of their breathing apparatus (BA) systems failed and left the woman without clean air.
Her colleagues pulkled her out from the building and she was brought to hospital for treatment.
Fire Brigade sources say the emergency worker was admitted to the Mater hospital at around 4am and discharged five hours later after treatment.
One person who had been trapped in the fire was also taken hospitalised for the effects of smoke inhalation.
The BA equipment used by Dublin Fire Brigade has come under criticism in the past with reported alleged failures placing firefighters at risk.
Last year, SIPTU said its members were only using the breathing apparatuses “under protest” and the Irish Fire and Emergency Services Association (IFESA) representative group is currently in the middle of a High Court action against Dublin City Council over the alleged BA failures.
The latest incident has caused more concern among firefighters as it is the third BA failure in Dublin in two months according to IFESA.
A source said these types of incidents are “very traumatic” for the people involved and for their colleagues.
Dublin Fire Brigade confirmed the firefighter was taken to hospital and said she was released later yesterday morning.
They have now launched an investigation into the circumstances of the equipment malfunction.