Two Campbellsville firefighters remained hospitalized in Louisville, two others were treated and released following an electrical accident on Campbellsville University's campus Thursday morning. The firefighters were in an elevated bucket hosing down University band members for the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge.
41 year old Captain Tony Grider, a 16 year department veteran, and 22 year old Simon Quinn, a part-time firefighter, were admitted to the University of Louisville Medical center burn unit where one is listed in critical condition, the other in stable condition, after being transferred from a local hospital.
They received electric shocks when their ladder came too close to a high-power electric line. Neither the ladder nor the bucket came in contact with the power line, but Campbellsville Police Chief Tim Hazlette said there was enough electricity running through the line that it shot an arc onto the firefighters' ladder as they were taking it down into what Hazlette called "travel mode." No students were injured.
Eric Johnson, with the group "Supporting Heroes", says other area firefighters are at the U of L Hospital showing their moral support to the two firefighters inside. Johnson said an injury like this affects all firefighters because, "they face dangerous situations every day and they know that 'there but for the grace of God go I' ."
The University's Baptist Campus Ministry held a prayer service on campus Thursday night.