San Francisco firefighter collapses during training exercise

TREASURE ISLAND, Calif. (KTVU) -- A San Francisco firefighter is in the hospital after a scary incident during training on Thursday morning.

The unidentified veteran firefighter was at the city's Fire Training Facility on Treasure Island, a place that helps firefighters stay ready for all the situations they face.

But just before 11 a.m., the firefighter suffered a medical emergency.

"They were doing a drill in our burn room, and one of the firefighters collapsed. And he was transported to the hospital," said Fire Dept. Spokeswoman Mindy Talmadge.

The burn room is where crews train in putting out controlled flames. They're wearing full gear and breathing apparatus. It can be stressful, even for experienced firefighters.

"It's also very hot in the gear. We haven't had an issue like this in the burn room," added Talmadge.

Cal-OSHA will look into the matter, and fire officials are conducting a safety investigation of the facility.

The firefighter is now at SF General Hospital in stable condition.

"He's undergoing tests, and we're not sure if it was actually related to the drill, or if it was a medical condition," explained Talmadge.

The firefighter, who also has a brother in the department, is being kept at the hospital overnight for observation.