GUILFORD COUNTY, N.C. — This weekend's building collapse in Whitsett takes former Greensboro battalion chief, Sterling Suddarth back to the day when he almost lost his life while responding to a call.
"I'm extremely blessed because the people that rescued me are the only reason I'm here. Otherwise, someone else is telling the story, "said Suddarth.
Nearly a decade ago, Suddarth responded to South Elm Street to put out a car fire at an auto repair shop.
When his team arrived, they saw a car on fire and realized it was much more.
"The car was on a lift. So, it was very close to those steel supports and all of that accelerated the collapse. We didn't have any idea what we were dealing with when we got there," Suddarth recalled.
He said the roof collapsed on him and five others. The five others were able to escape, but he needed rescuing of his own.
"When the roof came down, I got pinned under the burning roof. It was on fire and my air got cut off, and I couldn't move so, I had to be rescued. There was no way I could save myself," Suddarth exclaimed.
His injuries were extensive.
"I had seven second and third-degree burns. So, I had seven skin grafts. I think it totaled to be seven surgeries and three different stints at the burn unit for a total of I think 33 days altogether," he recalled.
It took Suddarth nearly two years to heal before getting back to work.
Since then, he's used his near-death experience to warn young firefighters and train the community.
"Just practicing good fire safety at home and in general at the workplace because preventing the fire is the best medicine," he advised.