by ADAM LISBERG and ALISON GENDAR
A Bronx firefighter who fell more than 30 feet from a ladder bucket will survive despite multiple spinal fractures, officials said.
Brian Smith, 43, was in stable condition Monday at St. Barnabas Hospital as the FDNY investigated how he tumbled from the bucket while fighting a Sunday night blaze in Highbridge.
Smith's fall was captured on home video and showed the 11-year veteran lurching out of the cherry picker and falling out of sight.
"I'm happy to report that, while he's in very serious condition, it does not look life-threatening," Mayor Bloomberg said. "Our prayers are with him."
Smith fell as he tried to break windows to vent the fire on on Shakespeare Ave.
Fire safety sources said Smith might have leaned against the door of the cherry picker, believing the latch was locked. A safety investigation is ongoing.
The fire started when a resident on the second floor placed a burning candle too close to a plastic dry-cleaning bag, fire sources said.
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