Fort Worth firefighter remains hospitalized as arson investigation continues
A Fort Worth firefighter remains hospitalized after being injured in a house fire in the Historic Southside as arson investigators look into the cause, officials said.
The arson investigators are looking for people who left the scene before the fire was reported and are working to determine the cause of the Sept. 3 fire in the 200 block of South Williams Street, Fire Department spokesperson Craig Trojacek said.
Two Fort Worth firefighters were injured while battling a two-alarm fire at the house. Firefighter Caleb Halvorson was pulled from the burning debris within less than two minutes. Halvorson was rushed to waiting medics and flown in a CareFlite helicopter to Parkland Hospital in Dallas, with significant injuries.
In a statement on Wednesday, the Fire Department said Halvorson has experienced complications, including a serious infection as well as another skin graft surgery after the doctors realized that the burns are significantly “deeper than they originally thought.”
Halvorson continues to undergo painful physical therapy and every morning he is put into what the family refers to as “The Tank.” This is where Halvorson has his burns and wounds cleaned. “The pain is unimaginable,” the statement reads.
His stepfather, Bobby, who has been a Fort Worth firefighter for 28 years, has been by Halvorson’s side “through that excruciating experience every morning — A hand to hold that understands the calling he answered that brought him to this hospital ward,” according to the statement.
Halvorson faces additional surgeries, infections, growing resistance to pain medication, and the emotional pain of being separated from his newborn son who remains in the NICU, which is “more than one person should have to endure,” the statement reads.
“His amazingly strong and faithful family is doing everything they can to support Firefighter Halvorson, his wife and their beautiful baby,” the statement reads. “They continue to ask for prayers that they can stay strong through these two traumatic life events, be the support system that Firefighter Halvorson needs and that he moves forward in the healing process.”
No residents were inside the one-story, wood-frame home at the time of the fire, and no other injuries were reported.
Halvorson has been with the Fort Worth Fire Department for three years.
The Fort Worth Professional Firefighters Association has organized a fundraiser for the family through Help a Hero.
This story was originally published September 17, 2025 at 8:05 PM.