An Indianapolis Fire Officer was seriously injured yesterday when a hose line exploded while he was setting up a training detail. IFD Captain Willie Thompson, 46, is in stable condition at St. Vincent Hospital after the 1335 Hours accident at the IFD training facility. Captain Thompson was preparing for a training detail by filling a hoseline with air instead of water when the system exploded in his right hand. The training evolution he was preparing for is a survival skills maneuver taught to IFD Firefighters. The preparation for this requires that the 1 3/4" hoseline be charged with air instead of water, through the use of a high pressure (4500 lbs) SCBA air tank. Captain Thompson, with 11 years on the job, has reportedly conducted the specific maneuver hundreds of times, but the connection at either the metal hose coupling or the gated "wye" ("Y" connection) exploded, causing serious injury to his hand. IFD is conducting an internal investigation. We’ll advise more as it becomes available from IFD.
