TOLEDO — A man is facing charges related to a fire that injured two firefighters in Ohio, according to our CBS affiliate, WTOL-11 TV.
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Cornelius Gardner, 27, of Toledo, was arrested on Monday and charged with three counts of aggravated arson.
Gardner is accused of intentionally setting items on fire inside a commercial building on Lucas Street around 4 a.m. in July, according to WTOL-11.
When Toledo Fire and Rescue Department (TFRD) crews arrived on scene, they saw heavy black smoke coming from the building.
“An attack crew began interior operations while additional units arrived to support the response,” the department said in a press release obtained by WTOL-11.
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Two firefighters were hurt by falling debris while battling the flames, a spokesperson with TFRD said.
At least one of the firefighters sustained abrasions and contusions to their arm from the falling debris.
Court documents obtained by WTOL-11 indicate that the firefighters were also nearly crushed after the building’s roof failed.
The collapse caused at least one of the firefighters’ air supply to fail, “exposing the victim to the smoke filled environment,” court documents said.
The two firefighters were hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries, WTOL-11 reported.
A Toledo Municipal Court judge set Gardner’s bond at $250,000 during his initial appearance. He is scheduled to be back in court on Aug. 20.
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