Firefighter on the Road to Recovery Takes a Look Back

Flanked by the charred and tattered equipment that helped save his life, Firefighter William Jensen celebrated being alive Wednesday, one year after he was nearly burned to death in the devastating Calabasas brush fire.

“I feel better today than I felt 10 years ago,” said Jensen, who was the most severely injured of four firefighters who were admitted to the Grossman Burn Center at Sherman Oaks Hospital the afternoon of Oct. 22, 1996. “The scars on the outside don’t count. It’s what’s on the inside.”

Jensen, 53, suffered second- and third-degree burns over more than 70% of his body and fought for his life at the burn center for three months, finally going home on his birthday, Feb. 2.

Since then, the burly firefighter known as “Magilla Gorilla” has been busy with ongoing therapy. He has limited use of his seriously damaged left hand--an injury that almost required amputation--and faces years of additional surgery to cope with scar tissue and other damage.

Burn center officials said the three other firefighters hospitalized the same day as Jensen, all of whom were released long before he was, were also doing well.

The firefighters were overtaken by flames while trying to protect homes in Corral Canyon. Ultimately, the blaze engulfed nearly 14,000 acres of the Santa Monica Mountains, destroying about a dozen homes and other buildings.

Earlier this year, fire officials declared that poor leadership and judgment by an inexperienced group of commanders, and not simply uncontrollable flames pushed by Santa Ana winds, were to blame for several injuries suffered in the blaze.

Most recently, state officials investigating the cause of the brush fire accused Southern California Edison of refusing to provide information or of removing evidence from the scene of major fires in which power lines or equipment were a suspected cause.

Jensen, speaking at an afternoon news conference at Glendale Fire Department headquarters, declined to comment on the ongoing investigation.

Fire Chief Richard Hinz said he is watching developments closely, but his department has not been involved in the investigation.

Jensen, who plans to retire from the department in 1998 after nearly 30 years of service, focused on giving thanks. The firefighter and his wife, Sue, were overwhelmed with the volume of cards, good wishes and honors bestowed upon him, including the Glendale department’s Medal of Valor.

“I literally owe my life back to, not only the citizens of Glendale, Calif., and parts of the world,” said Jensen, who plans to continue visiting schools and other institutions as a motivational speaker. “I’m going to dedicate the rest of my life to talking to people.”

Earlier in the day, Jensen returned to the fire scene with his family and visited the burn center to show his appreciation to Dr. A. Richard Grossman, his son, Dr. Peter Grossman, and their staff.

“One year ago we had very serious doubts about whether he would make it out of the hospital,” Peter Grossman said in an interview. “Today he looked great.”

Grossman said Jensen, who goes to the center every two or three weeks for checkups, also visits other burn victims regularly to offer support.

“He really is quite appreciative,” Grossman said. “Everybody was very touched. It’s like family. . . . It makes for a real special day and everybody was pleased to see him.”