A suspected arsonist stabbed an Austin firefighter as crews battled blazes set alongside Interstate 35 on Monday.

Firefighting crews responding to stories of fires alongside the freeway at about 2:50 a.m. noticed the suspected arsonist dragging a burning object behind him that was igniting grass.

Firefighters questioned the person, who grew to become agitated and made a transfer to stroll into the site visitors. The suspect stabbed a firefighter who tried to cease him, leaving a non-life-threatening, two-inch-deep wound.

“One of our firefighters, as the man moved off of the highway, stood in front of him to keep him from walking back onto the highway. The man got a little agitated. An altercation happened, and he stabbed our firefighter in the thigh,” Austin Fire Department Chief Shift Commander Eddie Martinez stated.

Other firefighters detained the person till regulation enforcement might arrive. 

Neither the accused arsonist nor the firefighter have but been publicly recognized.

“There have been situations in the past where we’ve had altercations with people. This is the first time that I can remember that one of our firefighters has been injured in this way,” Mr. Martinez defined.

The head of the native firefighter’s union stated that psychological well being points have been at play within the stabbing.

“That’s mental health. That’s clearly what this was. And police officers are trained in that, EMS is and so is fire. It’s just in this case, we need more people on scene sooner. It would have been a better outcome perhaps. Police have body armor. EMS has body armor. We don’t,” Austin Firefighters Association President Bob Nicks informed KVUE-TV.

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