MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A Memphis Firefighter spent the evening of July 4th in the hospital after battling an apartment fire caused by fireworks, the Memphis Fire Department confirmed Wednesday.
According to Memphis Fire, 50 firefighters were called to The District apartments near Knight Arnold Road and Kirby Road in Memphis' Hickory Hill neighborhood Tuesday evening.
At least one apartment was fully engulfed in flames when they arrived, which the fire department later confirmed was accidentally set by fireworks during Independence Day festivities.
One firefighter was burned while fighting the fire and taken to the hospital with second and third-degree burns to his hand. He was later released and is recovering.
It took crews hours to get the blaze under control.
"Thought somebody was barbecuing, didn't pay no mind. And come out checking, it was going," Larry, a resident of the apartment complex, said. "I couldn't do nothing about it. What could I do?"
Larry and his wife said they lost everything.
"We paid almost a thousand dollars and this [is] what happened," Larry's wife said. "I had to call work today and tell them I can't come because my apartment is burnt, messed up. I can't come to work; I ain't got no clothes to wear to work."
Memphis Fire said the blaze caused $250,000 in damage to the structure and $60,000 in damage to belongings inside.