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Riverside man faces long recovery after helping woman escape fire

Brian Jackson suffered severe leg injuries after an explosion threw him from a second-story window during an apartment fire.

Image credit: The Acmegraph Co. / Wikimedia Commons, public domain; archival circa-1910 Riverside Fire Department postcard

Brian Jackson, a 48-year-old security guard, was badly injured after helping a pregnant woman escape a Riverside apartment fire on September 16, the Los Angeles Times reported September 24. Jackson said he talked the woman out of jumping from a second-story window, and a passerby then helped lower her with a ladder. An explosion later threw Jackson from the window, breaking both of his legs.

What it means locally

Jackson remained hospitalized with serious leg and foot injuries when the report was published. His family said doctors were considering whether one leg might need to be amputated. The woman he helped was believed to be safe, but the report did not publicly identify her.

Riverside Fire Chief Greg White confirmed that first responders found two people hanging from an apartment window and three people on the ground. The cause of the fire remained undetermined and under investigation. The accompanying image is a public-domain postcard of the Riverside Fire Department from about 1910; it does not show this fire or anyone involved.

Full report and further details: Read original report →