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Five Firefighters Injured in Waldo Fire

By AP/KCUR

Kansas City, MO – Five firefighters were injured Friday morning, two critically, while battling a blaze at a bar, officials said.
The firefighters were injured inside the building about 10 a.m.,Battalion Chief Joe Vitale said. All three were at area hospitals,with three in serious condition. The worst of injured had burns on about 30 percent of his body,Vitale said.

"They are going to be OK, but that's their status," Vitale said. "We had five members caught up in (a) flashover."

A flashover occurs when the contents of a room heat to an ignition point and simultaneously burst into flame. The firefighters' names were not immediately released.

All firefighters were ordered out of the two-story building after the flashover. The roof had collapsed and strong winds were fueling the fire, leading to fears the building itself could fall.

The building houses Kennedy's Bar & Grill, a French bistro and other businesses. There were apartments on the second floor of thebuilding.

A co-owner of Kennedy's told reporters that employees usually arrive after 10 a.m., so no one would have been in the bar when the fire broke out.

Firefighters appeared to have the fire under control by early Friday afternoon, but were still battling hotspots. Fire officials were not immediately sure what started the fire or the full extent of the damage.

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