A firefighter who was injured while battling a San Jose apartment fire on Thanksgiving day was released from the hospital Saturday afternoon, according to San Jose Fire officials.
San Jose fire Capt. Reggie Williams said that Capt. Lorin Engler, who is a veteran firefighter, suffered fractured vertebra in his neck and a concussion when a ceiling in the apartment building at 930 Willow Leaf Drive collapsed on him around 8:25 p.m. Thursday.
Engler, 52, was released from the hospital around noon Saturday, after a few days in the hospital and numerous visits from fellow San Jose firefighters, including Engler's brother, Williams said.
According to Williams, Engler will on leave for a few months, but is expected to make a full recovery.
San Jose firefighters received a call about the two-story apartment complex fire at at 8:23 p.m. on Thursday.
Flames and water damaged four of the building's six units by the time the fire was under control at 11:24 p.m., fire officials said.
A resident was also transported to the hospital for medical reasons not caused by the fire, according to fire officials.
The fire also displaced 18 residents from the apartment's six units.
