Burned Firefighter’s Condition Improves

The condition of Glendale Firefighter William Jensen was upgraded Tuesday from serious to good by doctors at the Grossman Burn Center at Sherman Oaks Hospital.

For the first time, hospital officials said publicly that his injuries, sustained during the Calabasas/Malibu wildfires in October, are no longer life-threatening.

“He has had steady improvement,” said hospital spokesman Larry Weinberg, “and doctors now believe that he is no longer fighting for his life.”

The announcement comes after Tuesday morning’s successful operation to sew Jensen’s left hand into a pouch in his abdomen.

By embedding the hand, which was burned down to muscle and tendons, for three weeks, doctors expect tissue to begin growing around the bones, tendons and ligaments. After this has been accomplished, skin grafting can begin.

“Doctors can’t graft skin to nothing,” Weinberg said. “This way, they’ll get the epidermal layers to grow onto the hand and they’ll have something to work with.”

Doctors estimate Jensen will have about 50% use of his left hand following reconstruction.

The firefighter has been moved from the intensive care section of the center to the intermediate care section.

Jensen was one of four firefighters burned while battling flames in the Corral Canyon area. He was the most severely injured, with second- and third-degree burns on 70% of his body.

The burn center’s medical director, Dr. A. Richard Grossman, said in a prepared statement that Jensen may be released in early January, but he will need further surgery and outpatient care for years.