Fri, May 16, 2008 - 4:00 pm - Tommy Davis knew there was a chance something could go wrong fighting a fire.
"It's part of our job," said Davis, 32, from his hospital bed at USA Medical Center. "You go into it knowing that. You're putting your life on the line to help other people out, and that's what we do," he said.
For two and a half years, the father of two small children has done exactly that, but not even knowing the risk could prepare him for what happened when he responded to a burning ship at the Bender Shipyard Wednesday afternoon.
"I was just kinda searching the ship just trying to see if fire had spread," said Davis, who was on the boat when something exploded. The explosion knocked him fifteen feet through the air and into a guard rail. His partner, James Hunter landed on top of him.
"He was patting me out because I was on fire still. I could see fire all the way around me," said Davis.
With second and third degree burns on his face and ear, Davis along with Hunter rushed closer to the explosion to find a third comrade... their captain.
"We jumped back up with the hose and was kinda watering the whole down and gonna try to find him and he come flying out of there. Once he came out we knew everybody was out," said Davis.
After two days in the hospital, Davis was released Friday afternoon. Doctors tell him they expect his wound to heal by itself, without any skin graph.
Two other firefighters, who were also injured in the explosion, are recovering at home. Tom Bishop, 52, was hit in the head by debris. Bishop was treated and released Wednesday evening. Marty Emerson suffered a medical condition while he was on the scene and has since been released as well.
The U.S. Coast Guard is investigating the cause of the fire, since the ship was on the water when the blaze broke out.