Gardner Fire Chief Injured Fighting Templeton Blaze

GARDNER (CBS) – The Gardner fire chief was injured while providing mutual aid at a house fire in Templeton on Friday.

Gardner firefighters were called a single-family house fire on North Main Street around noon. Fire chief Richard Ares was hurt when he fell 6-to-8 feet to the ground, fire officials say.

He was conscious and alert at the scene following the fall.

Ares suffered a head injury and was taken by MedFlight to UMass Medical Center in Worcester.

Ares' injuries are not considered life threatening.

Jim Ares, the fire chief's son, tweeted that his father has "...Compression fractures in his lumbar spine. Again, he's stable and doing well."

Templeton fire is investigating the blaze.