HARLAN COUNTY, Ky. (WYMT) – Six firefighters with the Sunshine Fire Department were taken to the hospital by ambulance after a man sprayed bear mace at the scene of a house fire off U.S. Highway 421 in the Baxter community on July 4.
Chief and assistant chief both hospitalized
The department’s chief and assistant chief, Steven and Ashley Hatfield, were among those hospitalized after coming in contact with the spray. Steven Hatfield said he lost consciousness at the scene.
“I ended up getting on one side of the structure, and I was starting to get dizzy and faint. I tried to get myself lower to the ground and apparently didn’t make it. I passed out,” Steven Hatfield said.
Ashley Hatfield, the assistant fire chief, said crews were not initially aware of what was going on.
‘A very scary event’
Ashley Hatfield said she discovered her husband laying in the mud while responding to the scene.
“I come off of the deck, onto the residence and I see Chief Hatfield laying face down into the ground. A different aspect comes over you when that is one of your fire personnel. But that was my husband, and that was a very scary event,” she said.
Kentucky State Police respond
Kentucky State Police responded to the scene. Trooper Shane Jacobs of KSP Post 10 said the situation was unusual for first responders.
Police said Bradley Enlow was taken into custody and faces four charges related to the incident.
