A St. Clair Township firefighter was injured at the scene of an apartment fire in Brigden.

The blaze destroyed the 140 year-old triplex which was home to former Purity Creamery Family Day. Chief Walt Anderson says the owner of the building who lives in one of the units was trying to thaw frozen water pipes when the fire started.

Anderson says Boswell Street was coated with ice and the municipality brought in a load of salt and sand to make the area safe the evening of the fire.

But he says one firefighter slipped and fell on the ice Feb.18 while working at the scene. “There was ice on the road and it was covered with some salt and sand; the way he happened to step his feet went out from under him.”

Anderson says it was first suspected he’d broken his hip but tests are still being done.

“They said it was not broken and they sent him home saying it was a deep bruise,” says the chief. “They did a CT Scan after that and now they believe there is a crack in it. They have to look at it again.”

Anderson says it is “pretty rare” for firefighters to be injured on a scene adding they are covered by WSIB and an extended insurance package just for volunteer firefighters.

Meantime the residents of the triplex are also getting help. Anderson says Victims Services Sarnia-Lambton and the Canadian Red Cross were there to help immediately and in the following days neighbours have stepped up to help. Corunna’s Operation Christmas Tree has also provided the four residents with some cash to help buy their immediate needs.