Crime & Safety

Firefighter Injured in Riverdale Blaze Still Hospitalized but Improving

Kevin O'Toole, 22, was able to raise his hands over his head in a physical therapy session last week.

Bladensburg volunteer firefighter Kevin O'Toole, 22, remains in critical but stable condition at the Washington Hospital Center .

According to Mark Brady, spokesman for the Prince George's County Fire/EMS Department, O'Toole underwent several skin graft procedures last week and was given a thorough "scrubbing" of his burn injuries on Friday.

O'Toole was also able to raise his hands over his head in a physical therapy session and is taking strolls around the hospital's burn unit with the help of a nurse and physical therapy staff.

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"Friends, family, co-workers and the DC Firefighters Burn Foundation continue to keep Kevin and his parents company as they progress through the recovery process," Brady added in a statement.

Fellow Bladensburg firefighter Ethan Sorrell, 21, was released from the hospital on Tuesday and is spending time recovering in North Carolina with his family. He is expected to return to the area this week for further medical appointments.

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The Feb. 24 blaze that landed O'Toole and Sorrell in the hospital also injured five other firefighters, all of whom were swept up in a "fireball" when a gust of wind pushed through the rear of the house. 

Authorities announced last week that they believe the fire .


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