A Cambridge fire captain accidentally shot himself in the hip at the East Cambridge fire station on Tuesday, The Boston Globe reports.

The unnamed captain, who has been on the force for nearly 30 years, was attempting to transfer his personal firearm and its holster from his jacket pocket to his belt when it went off.

The incident occurred in a stairwell and no one else was hurt.

He was hospitalized for two days, though his injuries did not require surgery. Now he is on sick leave as he recovers.

Though the captain was licensed to carry the gun, Assistant Chief Gerard E. Mahoney told The Globe that he should not have had it in the station. Mahoney described the shooting as a “freak accident.’’


The captain has not been disciplined, but Cambridge police and the city’s Personnel Department are investigating the incident.

For the full Globe report, click here.