The chief of the Poca Volunteer Fire Department was seriously injured Monday night when a section of a tree fell onto him while he was responding to a call.
Chief Shawn West was on his way to a fire alarm activation call in Raymond City when he and other firefighters stopped to remove part of a tree that had fallen onto Davis Drive, said Assistant Chief Matt West, Shawn West's brother.
The firefighters had almost finished clearing the tree branch when something gave out and a large section of the tree fell on top of Shawn West, pinning him, Matt West said.
Once firefighters pulled the tree off of Shawn West, those who are cross-trained as medics began treating his injuries.
He was taken to Charleston Area Medical Center's General Hospital with a broken ankle, broken leg, fractured pelvis, three broken ribs, two fractured vertebrae, concussion and a collapsed lung, Matt West said. The chief underwent surgery at CAMC General Tuesday afternoon and had been in stable condition.
"We want to reassure the public our area is still covered and will receive service throughout all of this," Matt West said.
Matt West said he expects his brother to make a full recovery.