SPRINGFIELD TWP., Ohio (WKBN) — On Tuesday, two firefighters with the Springfield volunteer fire department were recognized for their bravery during the Feb. 3 East Palestine train derailment.
Sen. Mike Rulli presented Stephen Szekely and Jared Musial with plaques from the Ohio Senate, honoring their service at East Palestine train derailment.
“The only thing that could compare to it that would be Dante’s Inferno. It literally looked like hell on earth,” Rulli said.
Szekely and Musial caught the last fire truck to leave the Springfield fire station on the night of Feb. 3.
“We went down North Pleasant. We were the only ones there: Me and Jared in the tanker,” Szekely said.
“We were on the north side of the track, and everybody else was on the south side of the track. We were separated by the train that derailed,” Musial said.
They worked to put out a building fire before it could spread to nearby homes.
“Once he put the fire down in the ditch, he went around the building, but that fire flared back up and we were actually separated, and he was all by himself,” Szekely said.
Musial said he relied on his training despite being scared and surrounded by fire.
“Very scary situation, not being able to see your partner, being separated by a wall of fire,” Musial said.
Musial said he trusted that he would be safe in his gear.
“When I saw him, his turnout gear was discolored from the heat. The heel of his boot was coming off because of the chemicals that he was walking through,” Szekely said.
Both Szekely and Musial say they feel honored to be recognized.