A New Haven firefighter has died battling a house fire Wednesday.
The city fire department received a mayday signal from firefighter Ricardo Torres Jr. from inside the house on Valley Street. The rescue team found the 30-year-old Torres and his lieutenant, Samod Rankins, unconscious on the second floor.
Torres was later declared dead. Rankins is in critical condition at the Bridgeport Hospital burn unit. Two other firefighters were also injured.
The fire department rescued an 84-year-old woman who owns the home and a man who lives on the second floor. Both are recovering.
