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A Willoughby firefighter was hospitalized after a ceiling beam fell on his head while he was fighting a house fire.
(File photo)
WILLOUGHBY, Ohio -- A Willoughby firefighter was injured Monday when a ceiling collapsed during a fire that destroyed a home.
He was transported to Lake West Medical Center after a beam fell on his head, according to Willoughby Fire Chief Al Zwagat. He has since been released.
The home on the 900 block of Tioga Trail is a total loss. Crews were called about 3:50 p.m. when a neighbor reported black and grey smoke billowing from inside the home. The homeowner who lives by himself was not home at the time.
The flames spread rapidly before crews arrived, smashing out the front windows. Firefighters from Willoughby, Eastlake, Mentor, Willowick and Mentor-on-the-Lake attacked the fire from the inside until the ceiling caved. All crews were evacuated at that point.
The blaze was extinguished by about 5:30 p.m.
The Red Cross and the city's victim advocacy program are helping the homeowner find a place to stay. Officials are investigating the cause.