New Footage: Construction Worker Narrowly Escapes Texas Fire
A construction worker in Houston, Texas faced a life-or-death situation while battling an unforgiving blaze.
This incident actually went down in 2014, but new footage, which can be viewed at the bottom of this article, has surfaced showing exactly how construction supervisor Curtis Reissig was rescued off the balcony of Axis Appartments in Houston, Texas.
A camera embedded within the eyewear worn by firefighter Dwayne Wyble recorded the scene as he operated one of the fire trucks to extinguish the fire.
The Heart-Stopping Footage
In the video, there's an audible exclamation of "Oh my God" as Reissig emerges on the balcony, and the flames from the roof draw nearer.
Reissig, an employee of JLB Partners, was having lunch at a trailer on the construction site at approximately 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday when a fire was reported. Reacting swiftly, he seized a fire extinguisher and ascended to the roof, where he managed to extinguish some of the flames. However, the ferocious winds rapidly spread the fire across the roof, compelling Reissig to navigate his way down to the fifth floor.
"At that juncture, I encountered a substantial amount of smoke, which stung my eyes and throat, making it difficult to breathe," he recounted.
While grappling with his predicament, Reissig located a window but struggled to open it. Fearful for his life, he suddenly spotted a door leading to one of the building's units and made his way onto its balcony.
The Unstoppable Hero
Reissig had hurried to the rooftop of the building still under construction in an attempt to extinguish a small fire that had ignited.
However, the flames swiftly multiplied, engulfing him in their fiery grip. He found himself trapped on a balcony as the fire raged violently within the structure.
"I witnessed, as they describe, my life flashing before my eyes," Reissig recounted. "I glimpsed my mother, my wife, and my beloved ones. I saw them all and thought, 'I must find a way out of this.'"
"I feared they would discover my lifeless body right there, in that very spot."
As the fire truck approached, its ladder extended towards him. In a moment of life-or-death reckoning, Reissig made the courageous decision to swing himself down to the balcony below, escaping the encroaching flames.
He knew he couldn't wait to be rescued and understood he had to take action.
"I acknowledge they were doing everything they could, but in a circumstance like that, every second feels like an eternity," Reissig explained.
The Closest Call Ever
"The firefighter who recorded the video, Dwayne Wyble, vividly recalls how precarious the situation was for both Reissig and the brave individuals attempting to rescue him.
"I had no inkling that a catastrophic collapse was imminent in a matter of seconds," Wyble recounted to KHOU.
"When I heard that initial crack, I feared the worst."
Reissig, on the other hand, reminisces about the fleeting sense of security he felt upon reaching the ladder, only to witness the blazing wall crumble mere moments later, just a few feet away.
"As the wall gave way, it seemed relentless, as if it was determined to claim me," Reissig expressed.
"I believed it would find a way to get me, no matter what."
Check out the video below:
