BUCKNER, Mo. — Two firefighters were injured while working to contain a quickly-moving grass fire in eastern Jackson County Friday afternoon.

Both firefighters are from the Fort Osage Fire Protection District.

The firefighters were among a number of emergency crews who responded to a grass fire in front of a house north of Buckner.

Firefighters said the fire started in a shed and spread to the grass. The flames grew into a 15-acre grass fire.

At one point the fire jumped over the road and surrounded the two firefighters who were injured. Changing conditions forced them to make a “May Day” call and other crews rushed to help. The fire destroyed the brush truck the two firefighters were using.

The Fort Osage Fire Protection District said both firefighters were transported to hospitals. One of the firefighters suffered serious injuries.

“It was just crazy how many firetrucks were out here and all of the county’s. I thank them for doing that because it could have been a lot worse,” Brody Starns said after he helped pass out water to firefighters.

People living in the area were evacuated from homes as a precaution.

“The fireman told me to get out right away, so I got what I could and I left and the fire was making it’s way to the house,” Dawn Fite, homeowner, said.

“It was very close,” Melissa Bright, homeowner, said. “Too close.”

The fire destroyed several small outbuildings and burned for two hours before firefighters brought the fire under control.

The Missouri State Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating the cause of the fire.