Above are the St. Anna Fire Department radio transmissions from December 29, 2009.
Click here and scroll down for our previous coverage of this incident
The first report that firefighters had been caught in an explosion Dec. 29 while putting out a dumpster fire said at least three firefighters were down and another “looks like he was blown about 100 feet from it.”
That report and others recorded by the Calumet County Sheriff’s Department detail the events of the explosion that killed 33-year-old St. Anna firefighter Steven Koeser and injured eight others. The recordings were released Tuesday to The Post-Crescent.
The transmissions are routine at first as a sheriff’s deputy radios that he has noticed a fire in a dumpster that appears to be melting the container. He asks a dispatcher to page the fire department at 7:22 p.m.
When the St. Anna Fire Department’s Truck 17 and Engine 11 arrived on the scene, flames were visible from the dumpster.
At 7:41 p.m., one voice reported “a large explosion. I am checking on all the firemen that were hit.” The department calls for mutual aid and a tanker from New Holstein, and at 7:43 calls for ambulances.
“We need an ambulance down here. Send a couple of them while you’re at it,” one caller said.
As ambulances responded and a ThedaStar helicopter were dispatched to a landing zone at the fire station, more reports came through.
“Send whatever you have for ambulances,” one said.
“One (is) in and out of consciousness. One (was) blown — entire body injuries. One with facial and burn injuries.”
Above is the Calumet County Sheriff’s Department radio traffic.
Also on STATter911 …
- Early video & fireground audio: House explosion & fire in Schenectady, NY. – January 5, 2012
- NIOSH says Bridgeport FD failed to respond to mayday calls in double LODDs. Many failures cited in deaths of Lt. Steve Velasquez & FF Michel Baik. – June 30, 2011
- Fire & police radio traffic from scene of firefighter shot in Bellmore, New York. – March 2, 2011
- UPDATE Breaking news: Early reports of 24 dead in Joplin, Missouri tornado. Hospital hit. Two fire stations lose roofs. Fire & police radio traffic. Video. – May 22, 2011
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never should have used water on that dumpster fire, which contained metal.
God bless all involved and injured
Is it me or was there a delay of alarm due to the Sheriffs trying to contact the Key Holder for the business?
Our most sincere condolences to the Family of this Firefighter. Hopefully this department will now educate all of their personnel on the Industries in their response districts. Maybe the company can now have the fire department out to do a PIPS on the facility and what processes the industry uses. Because WATER is not always the answer in Industrial incidents no matter how big or small the fire is. May GOD BLESS and Be with you.
listening makes me feel horrible. Hate to be a monday morning quarterback, but as much as I hate to admit it, no such thing as a routine call.
Listening to this and hearing the initial dispatch of the “metal shaving dumpster” I wondered if I would have thought to avoid using water. I think that I would have at least asked some questions before applying water, since I’ve had some bad experiences with magnesium. But I’m honestly not 100% sure. Definitely a lesson in this for all. BTW the dispatcher did well – she remained calm and professional throughout.
there was a maintenance worker on scene and he advised there was NO MAGNESIUM in the dumpster