By MES Dispatch staff
The Briefing
• A NIOSH report found nine career firefighters were injured while conducting search operations at a large residential house fire in McKinney, Texas, in August 2025.
• The 4,450 sq ft, two-story home fire was reported at about 9:10 p.m., and crews encountered heavy smoke and zero-visibility conditions during interior operations.
• Two firefighters ran low on air and called a Mayday; all nine were transported to hospitals for treatment.
• The NIOSH investigation highlighted challenges with air management, size-up, supervision, and communications during the fireground response.
MCKINNEY, TX — Nine career firefighters were injured while conducting interior search operations at a large residential fire in McKinney, Texas, on the evening of Aug. 30, 2025, according to a report from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).
Emergency dispatch received a call reporting a fire in the master bedroom of a two-story, single-family home at about 9:10 p.m., prompting multiple fire units to respond. Crews initiated aggressive interior fire attack and search operations on the second floor under extremely smoky, zero-visibility conditions.
During operations, two firefighters depleted their self-contained breathing apparatus air supplies and issued a Mayday call, leading to withdrawal efforts. A total of nine injured personnel were transported to area hospitals with conditions that included smoke inhalation, overexertion and dehydration.
The NIOSH report identified several challenges encountered during the incident, including limited initial size-up, inconsistent supervision and accountability of interior crews, and inadequate air management practices under the evolving fire conditions.
Investigators also noted that communication of assignments and critical information was strained by the pace of events, complicating coordination and timely withdrawal of crews.
The findings emphasize risks associated with interior structural firefighting operations and the importance of air management, command oversight and clear communications during dynamic fireground conditions.