Firefighter injured battling blaze at Phoenix house fire

An afternoon house fire sent one firefighter to the hospital. It happened near 35th Street and Osborn and Phoenix Fire officials say it was a stubborn blaze with many challenges.

The Phoenix firefighter is recovering tonight. We are told he suffered a leg injury while battling the blaze.

This close call happened around 2pm and firefighters arrived on scene as flames and smoke engulfed the home.

In this video, sent to us by the Phoenix Fire Department, you can see the smoke shooting out of the home, which is located near 36th Street and Osborn.

"He was sent to the hospital with a leg injury...for all intents and purposes he's doing pretty good..., said Phoenix Fire PIO William Benedict"

Phoenix Fire says the firefighter is around 50-years-old, although for privacy reasons they aren't releasing much about him.

His injury is another harsh reminder of the dangers on the job.

"There's definitely an aspect of emotion... a third of our lives are spent at the fire station, says Benedict. "That's our family away from family...you never want to see someone get hurt."

Phoenix fire crews don't know what sparked the blaze and they say this fire fight proved extra challenging. The stubborn blaze moved through the attic as power lines fell in the backyard.

And to top it off, the home is newly remodeled and the owners are on vacation.

"They were able to contain the fire to the left side of the structure, but there is a significant amount of damage…," said Benedict. "This is kind of an unfortunate way to come home from a vacation"

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.