Firefighter Jensen Has 6th Operation

Glendale Firefighter William Jensen was in serious condition Monday after his sixth extensive operation since he was burned in the Calabasas-Malibu brush fire Oct. 22, doctors said.

Jensen, 52, who was upgraded from critical to serious condition Friday, underwent two hours of surgery Monday that included the removal of more dead tissue. He was covered with cadaver skin as a biological dressing as well as with skin taken from his chest and grafted to his face, left ear and arms.

Jensen was the most seriously injured of four firefighters who were hospitalized at the Grossman Burn Center at Sherman Oaks Hospital after being overcome by flames while protecting homes in Corral Canyon. The other three firefighters, one from the Glendale Fire Department and two from the Los Angeles department, have since been sent home to continue their recovery.

Jensen, who at times has been healthy enough to speak to relatives, was again using a respirator to help him breathe, said Larry Weinberg, a burn center spokesman.

The firefighter suffered second- and third-degree burns to more than 70% of his body. Early last week, he was downgraded from serious to critical condition after being rushed into surgery with signs of sepsis, a toxic condition that results from the spread of bacteria through the bloodstream.

Throughout the four-week ordeal, Jensen’s relatives, friends and colleagues have kept a 24-hour vigil at the burn center.