Cleveland Firefighters Rescue Toddler from House Fire

CLEVELAND, Ohio (Cleveland.com) – A 2-year-old boy remains in critical condition today after firefighters pulled him from his burning bedroom yesterday.

The toddler’s father, Corrdell Blair Sr., suffered burns trying to reach his son before firefighters arrived, firefighter spokesman Larry Gray said.

The fire was reported at 3:45 p.m. Monday at a home on Wainstead Avenue near West 137th Street.

According to Battalion Chief Wayne Naida:

Firefighters from Station 38 on Bellaire Road responded. The father told them his son, Corrdell Blair Jr., was inside, and firefighters could hear the child screaming as they approached the blaze without a charged water hose.

Heavy flames blocked the front and side entrances, so Lt. Andrew Gorski and firefighter Jim Oleksiak grabbed a ladder to enter the child’s first-floor bedroom window.

Corrdell stopped screaming, before Gorski broke the window with an ax and entered the smoke-filled room without a fire hose. Flames had reached the room.

Oleksiak joined Gorski in a blind search for the unconscious child.

Gorski found Corrdell and yelled to Oleksiak, who jumped back on the ladder and took the toddler from Gorski.

Oleksiak ran to the arriving paramedics. They drove Corrdell to MetroHealth Medical Center, where he remains with second- and third-degree burns on 20 percent of his body.

“Without the quick and selfless actions of Lt. Gorski and firefighter Oleksiak, this child would not have survived,” Nalda wrote to the fire chief. “Their heroic actions deserve recognition and I nominate them for individual commendations.”

Gorski joined the department eight years ago. Oleksiak joined 16 years ago.

The cause of the fire has not been determined.