Three firefighters ‘doing fine’ after getting electrical shock while battling Long Beach blaze

Three firefighters were reported to be “doing fine” after they were shocked by a downed electrical line while battling a blaze in Long Beach early Friday morning.

The fire began around 1:36 a.m. in the 5300 block of Cedar Avenue, said Jake Heflin, a spokesman for the Long Beach Fire Department.

When firefighters arrived on scene, they identified four garages and a vacant unit on fire. Power lines were down, Heflin said, and the flames kept firefighters from immediately accessing the electrical panel.

“We were not able to shut the power off. What we have there is a real dynamic situation. We not only have the energized power in the actual building, but we also have the downed power lines adding to that,” Heflin said.

Three firefighters sustained electrical shock and were transported to local hospitals after reporting that they feeling “weak, dizzy and shaky,” Heflin said.

“They’re doing fine,” he said. “They’re feeling fine.”

Firefighters knocked down the fire in less than an hour. The cause remains under investigation.

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