CHRIS VETTER
Eau Claire Leader-Telegram
CORNELL â Justin Fredrickson was extinguishing a house fire near Sheldon on Feb. 19 when he suddenly felt a pain in his stomach, according to Cornell Area Fire Chief Dennis Klass.
âHe was spraying water and he felt like he was hit in the stomach by a two-by-four,â Klass said Wednesday.
Fredrickson, 35, was wearing full turnout gear. He started to remove the clothing, to discover he had been shot in his lower stomach. Because of the gear, there wasnât much blood visible.
Apparently, a loaded .38-caliber pistol within the house had fired, although no one was inside the structure. The gun had become so hot due to conditions from the blaze it began to fire rounds.