Firefighters knelt in prayer after an incredible rescue mission in Tennessee — a poignant moment that a local journalist captured.

The firefighters prayed for the victim of a house fire and “put it in God’s hands,” as Ty Cobb, the fire chief in Columbia, Tennessee, told LifeZette in an interview.

Close

[lz_ndn video=32711762]

“Our firefighters are very faithful,” Cobb said. “They believe in prayer. They believe in the power of prayer. Their God gets them through the tough emergencies that they face every day in the work that they do.”

The Columbia firefighters rescued a 23-year-old man from a burning house on July 15. They used CPR to restart the victim’s heart and get a pulse back.

The brave, faithful men pulled Natalie Gasc, also known as Nathaniel Lewis, through heavy smoke from the burning home at about 10 a.m. on Saturday. The quick response of the team initially saved Lewis’ life — but, sadly, the young man died later that weekend. The victim was taken to Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, and his donated organs have gone to help save the lives of others.

The fire started on a couch in the living room and may have originated from a candle. The home’s smoke detectors did not work, according to reports. The victim called 911, and when emergency personnel arrived they found him in the home’s bedroom.

“The fire, which burned much of the small house inside, was suspicious in nature,” the Columbia Fire Department said, according to the local newspaper. Firefighters also found a deceased pet dog in the house.

Columbia Daily Herald journalist James Bennett snapped a photo of the firefighters and other first responders in the prayer circle, their heads bowed. The paper ran the photo on the front page of Sunday’s edition.

“I looked at my camera lens and just had this special image that I don’t think I’ve ever seen before in the 30-plus years I’ve been in journalism,” Bennett, an editor at the The (Columbia) Daily Herald, said in a statement. “These folks [came] together for a two- to three-minute prayer after they had just saved a victim’s life.”

Who do you think would win the Presidency?

By completing the poll, you agree to receive emails from LifeZette, occasional offers from our partners and that you've read and agree to our privacy policy and legal statement.

Related: Is There Hope for Charlie Gard After U.S. Doctor’s Visit?

The Columbia Fire Department crew prayed for the best outcome in this very tough situation. On an everyday basis, said Cobb, the firefighters “lean on a higher power to help them get through the emergencies they face.”

“Our firefighters did all they could, and they leaned on their Lord in prayer to be with the family and be with the person during the tragic time,” Cobb told LifeZette.

The fire chief said his staff continues to pray for this victim’s family and for those impacted by the event. This is typical of his team, he indicated.

Related: The Healing Spirituality of Hospital Chaplains

“We constantly pray for the victims. We go back to the fire station, and we continue to think about those patients and people we’ve encountered in a difficult time, and we pray for them,” Cobb said.

The Columbia Fire Department has a chaplain program “intended to support the spiritual and mental well-being of all its members,” according to the town’s website. The department employs a Christian chaplain on staff.