Firefighter Stabbed In the Eye While Rescuing Man From Fire

HOUSTON, TX --A Houston Fire Captain is recovering after the person he was trying to rescue stabbed him in the eye.

The incident happened at about 2 a.m. Friday while firefighter were responding to a fire at the Kwik Kar Lube and Tune in the 2400 block of South Highway 6 at Westheimer Road.

Firefighters heard someone inside calling for help and used a sledge hammer to break through a brick wall.

Capt. Kenneth Willingham looked inside the hole and was reaching for a man inside, when the man sat up and stabbed Willingham in the left eye with a pocketknife.

Willingham underwent surgery at Memorial Hermann on his eye and is recovering, HFD officials said.

The man who stabbed Willingham is identified as William Morgan Johnson II, 34.

Police at the scene spent several minutes trying to convince Johnson to come out of the building after Willingham was injured

Johnson was treated at an area hospital for smoke inhalation and is charged with with aggravated assault on a public servant.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

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