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UPDATED – Worker rescued after parking garage collapse at MD’s Westfield Montgomery Mall. Second worker dead.

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A parking garage has partially collapsed outside a shopping mall in suburban Maryland, and officials say one construction worker who was trapped has died.

Montgomery County rescuers were working to stabilize the structure to free a second worker for more than three hours on Thursday. Officials say it appears a 50,000-pound section of the parking deck collapsed outside a Macy’s store.

Fire Department spokeswoman Beth Anne Nesselt says one man died. The second worker has been freed and is being airlifted by helicopter to a shock trauma center. The worker has serious and potentially life-threatening injuries.

Assistant Fire Chief Scott Graham says rescuers confirmed there were no other people inside the structure.

The parking deck was under construction during the collapse and was not open to the public.

Video from the scene showed a large concrete slab that appears to have fallen out of place.

View more videos at: http://nbcwashington.com.

WJLA-TV/ABC 7:

Montgomery County Fire officials say a 50,000 pound beam fell at an angle just after 1:47 p.m. at a parking deck near Macy’s. The beam fell from the third floor to the second floor, where the two workers were.

The parking deck was under construction at the time and was closed to the public.

There were about 20 workers at the garage at the time of the collapse.

WUSA9.com:

The Cabin John Park Volunteer Fire Department says units responded to Westfield Montgomery Mall “for major structure collapse” on Thursday afternoon.

Montgomery County Fire officials say they got a call at 1:47 p.m. at the location at 7125 Democracy Blvd. They say a key section of the parking deck collapsed. Assistant Chief Scott Graham says they are trying to rescue two adults.

More than 100 people are working on the rescue right now, says Graham.

We are told the parking garage was not open to the public because it was under construction.

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Posted by dave statter on May 23, 2013 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, Command & Leadership, EMS Health & Safety, EMS Topics, fire, Fire Rescue Topics, Firefighter Safety & Health, Major Incidents, Montgomery County Fire Rescue Service (MD), News, Patient Management, Rescues, Videos • Tagged: Asssistant Chief Scott Graham, Beth Ann Nesselt, Cabin John, collapse, collapse rescue, Dave Statter, Democracy Boulevard, EMT, fire, Fire Truck Blog, firefighter, FireTruckBlog.com, Glenn Usdin, listen live, MCFRS, Montgomery County Fire Rescue Service, Montgomery Mall, paramedic, parking garage, parking garage collapse, person trapped, radio traffic, Scott Graham, search, sellfiretrucks.com, STATter911.com, USAR, Westfield Montgomery Mall

UPDATED: Dallas, Texas firefighter’s body recovered at six-alarm apartment fire.

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KXAS-TV:

The body of a Dallas firefighter who radioed for help after becoming trapped in a burning condominium has been recovered.

The firefighter, whose name has not yet been released, was among the 100 Dallas firefighters who responded to a six-alarm fire at the Hearthwood Condominiums at 12363 Abrams Road Monday morning.

When firefighters arrived shortly before 3 a.m., smoke was seen billowing through the roof of the complex. Dallas Fire-Rescue’s Jason Evans said firefighters initially started to attack the fire offensively, but moved to a defensive posture due to how fast the fire was growing.

At about 5 a.m., one of the firefighters radioed that he was trapped inside the building and that he wasn’t sure where he was. Evans said crews had not been able to reach the firefighter by radio since that message.

At about 9:15 a.m., the body of the firefighter was found. He was removed from the rubble, covered in an American flag and carried to an ambulance as dozens of firefighters and onlookers flanked either side, removed their helmets and saluted the procession.

EARLIER COVERAGE:

KXAS-TV:

Jason Evans with Dallas Fire-Rescue told NBC 5′s Kendra Lyn that the missing firefighter used his radio to say he was trapped inside and did not know where he was. Evans says crews have not been able to reach the firefighter by radio since that last message.

Evans also said the huge fire is keeping crews from searching the building for any injured or trapped residents inside the building.

At least 24 units in the complex are involved in the fire and embers from the flames have been reported landing on town homes behind the complex.

Dallas Fire-Rescue elevated the blaze to a six-alarm fire at 5:23 a.m. Monday, bringing in additional units to help battle the blaze. Ninety firefighters and 15 fire engines were at the scene as of 5:16 a.m.

Robert Willonsky, DallasNews.com:

Dallas firefighters are “still looking” for a comrade they believe is trapped inside a six-alarm blaze that has devoured a condominium complex at Abrams Road and LBJ Freeeway.

Dallas Fire-Rescue spokesman Jason Evans says the firefighter radio’d in that he was trapped and lost, at which point his radio went dead. He has not been heard from since. It’s believed he became trapped when one of the floors collapsed.

Evans says the call first came in at 2:52 this morning. Firefighters arrived to find an elderly woman trapped in a third-story unit. She was rescued, with a ladder truck, and treated at the scene by paramedics.

Thanks in part to gusty winds, it didn’t take long for the fire to spread: “It went to six at 5:22,” says Evans.

“It got defensive pretty fast,” says Evans, who adds that “at least 24 units in the complex are completely destroyed.”

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Posted by dave statter on May 20, 2013 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, Command & Leadership, EMS Topics, fire, Fire Rescue Topics, Firefighter Safety & Health, Firefighting Operations, Fireground Audio, Fires, Major Incidents, News, Rescues, Videos • Tagged: Abrams, apartment fire, building fire, collapse, Command Fire Apparatus, condo burning, Dallas, Dallas Fire Rescue, Dallas firefighter, Dave Statter, EMS, EMT, fire, Fire Truck Blog, firefighter, firefighter unaccounted for, firefighting, Fires, FireTruckBlog.com, Glenn Usdin, Hearthwood condo, house fire, mayday, missing Dallas firefighter, missing firefighter, paramedic, sellfiretrucks.com, six alarms, STATter911.com, structure fire, Texas

Raw video: One man dead after two multi-family homes burn in Waterbury, CT.

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Video above from vicsan191 and video below by FortWhenTea and Tom DeMatteis of a fire Saturday in Waterbury, Connecticut that left one man dead and injured three firefighters.

Shawn Beals & Crystal Hall, CTNow.com:

One person is dead as a result of a fire that heavily damaged two three-story homes at Tremont and Sudbury streets on Saturday afternoon, officials said.

The victim lived on the third floor, and firefighters were able to get him out of the house as it was burning, Deputy Fire Chief Stephen Ayotte said. The man was taken to Waterbury Hospital, where he died, he said.

Ayotte said three firefighters were injured, and were treated at Watebury Hospital.

“There is a lot of damage to both buildings. They’re pretty well gutted,” Ayotte said. “The fire had a head start. Both houses were pretty well involved by the time we got there.”

Laraine Weschler, Republican-American:

Seven families, including 12 adults and three children, were displaced when two houses on Sudbury Street caught fire Saturday, according to a spokesman for the American Red Cross.

The fire also killed 47-year-old Victor Rivera, who died in a third-floor apartment in one of the houses.

Posted by dave statter on April 29, 2013 • Filed under: Command & Leadership, EMS Topics, Fire Rescue Topics, Firefighter Safety & Health, Firefighting Operations, Fires, News, Rescues, Videos • Tagged: building fire, Command Fire Apparatus, Connecticut, Dave Statter, deadly fire, defensive operations, EMT, exposures, fatal fire, fire, Fire Truck Blog, firefighter, firefighting, Fires, FireTruckBlog.com, Glenn Usdin, house fire, multi family homes, paramedic, sellfiretrucks.com, STATter911.com, structure fire, Sudbury, Tremont, Victor Rivera, Waterbury, Waterbury fire

Mayday radio traffic: Three-alarm fire in Boston with two maydays. Six firefighters hurt. One resident dead.

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Broadcastify.com audio via firefighterdispatch from a fire reported around 6:30 this morning on Linden Street in Boston, Massachusetts. There are two separate maydays on the audio. One at 9:50 and the other at 22:00. The pictures on this page are from the Boston Fire Department.

AP:

The Boston Fire Department says a house fire in the city’s Allston neighborhood has killed one person and injured 15 people, including six firefighters.

Steve MacDonald, a spokesman for the Fire Department, said the fire at the 2-1/2- story wood frame house was reported at about 6:30 a.m. Sunday.

He says none of the injuries to the firefighters or residents were life-threatening and all firefighters were treated and released. Some of the residents remained hospitalized late Sunday afternoon.

Laurel J. Sweet, Boston Herald:

One firefighter fell through a second-story floor while another fell down the stairs, Boston Fire spokesman Steve MacDonald said.

One resident jumped from the upper floors while three others were taken down ladders. An BFD aerial tower was unable to reach the upper floors because of power lines, MacDonald said.

“It got so bad that the chief ordered everyone out of the building,” MacDonald said. “One resident told us someone was missing. We could not make entry. We knew there was a good possibility we would find someone inside.”

WBZ-TV:

Boston Fire Department spokesperson Steven McDonald said the person who died in the fire was in the attic of the home.

McDonald said 19 people were living in the 7 to 9-bedroom home. Six of the residents were Boston University students, McDonald said.

Firefighters were hurt after falling through the second floor of the home and landing on the first floor.

Posted by dave statter on April 28, 2013 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, Boston Fire Department, Command & Leadership, Dispatch & Communications, Emergency Communications, EMS Topics, fire, Fire Dispatch, Fire Rescue Topics, Firefighter Safety & Health, Fireground Audio, Fires, Major Incidents, Mass Casualty Incident, News, Rescues • Tagged: Allston, apartment fire, BFD, Boston, Boston Fire Department, building fire, collapse, Command Fire Apparatus, Dave Statter, deadly fire, defensive operation, EMS, EMT, evacuation, fatal fire, fire, Fire Truck Blog, firefighter, firefighters down, firefighters hurt, firefighters injured, firefighting, Fires, FireTruckBlog.com, Glenn Usdin, house fire, Linden Street, Massachusetts, mayday, paramedic, sellfiretrucks.com, STATter911.com, Steve MacDonald, structure fire

Mayday audio: From Baltimore County, MD fire that critically injured Reisterstown VFC Firefighter Gene Kirchner.

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Earlier coverage

Above is audio from alertpage of this morning’s mayday at a fire in Baltimore County, Maryland that left Reisterstown VFC Firefighter Gene Kirchner in critical condition. Firefighter Kirchner was found unconscious on the 2nd floor. A 58-year-old man was found dead in the house. The mayday call is heard at 6:45 into the video. Time has been condensed for this recording with pauses removed. Below is an update to this morning’s story.

WMAR-TV:

Gene Kirchner was one of the initial crews that responded and was found unconscious on the 2nd floor. Rescue crews had to take him out. A mayday was called during the fire.

He was taken to Northwest Hospital and is now at Shock Trauma.

Kirchner, and has been with the Reisterstown Volunteer Fire Company for 8 years. In addition to being a volunteer firefighter, Kirchner is an employee of Butler Medical Transport.

“He’s (Kirchner) a kindhearted person who goes out of his way to help anybody,” says Butler Medical Transport Chief Operating Officer William Rosenberg.

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Posted by dave statter on April 24, 2013 • Filed under: 911 Audio, Administration & Leadership, Baltimore County Fire Department, Command & Leadership, Dispatch & Communications, Emergency Communications, EMS Topics, fire, Fire Dispatch, Fire Rescue Topics, Firefighter Safety & Health, Firefighting Operations, Fireground Audio, Fires, Major Incidents, News, Rescues, Videos • Tagged: ATF, Baltimore County, Baltimore County Fire Department, BATF, building fire, Capt. Rich Schenning, Command Fire Apparatus, Dave Statter, EMS, EMT, fire investigation, firefighter, firefighter down, firefighter rescued, firefighting, Fires, FireTruckBlog.com, Gene Kirchner, Glenn Usdin, Hanover Road, house fire, injured firefighter, Maryland, Maryland Shock Trauma Center, mayday, Northwest Hospital Center, paramedic, Reisterstown, Reisterstown VFC, Resiterstown Volunteer Fire Company, sellfiretrucks.com, shock trauma, STATter911.com, Steven Stark, structure fire, volunteer firefighter

Baltimore County, MD Firefighter Gene Kirchner in critical condition after mayday at fatal house fire. Member of Reisterstown VFC.

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Reisterstown VFC

The Secret List:

The dwelling, a two-story Victorian, was used as a few separate apartments, and was less than a quarter-mile from the closest fire company, so they arrived quickly. On arrival they had heavy fire and smoke. When they went inside, they found Steven Stark, 58, on the second floor. He was taken to Northwest Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

At some point, volunteer Firefighter Gene Kirchner, 24, issued a mayday call from inside the home. Firefighters found him unconscious, rescued him and transported him to Northwest Hospital, then to Baltimore Shock Trauma, where his condition is critical. What happened and why is unknown yet.

WMAR-TV:

A 24-year-old volunteer firefighter is now in critical condition after working at a 3-alarm fire in Reisterstown early Wednesday morning.

Gene Kirchner was one of the initial crews that responded and was found unconscious on the 2nd floor. Rescue crews had to take him out. A mayday was called during the fire.

Baltimore Sun:

Steven Stark, 58, of the unit block of Hanover Road, was found in an upstairs hallway of his home during an intense search and rescue effort and transported to Northwest Hospital Center, where he was pronounced dead, said Captain Rich Schenning, a department spokesman.

Kirchner, whose exact age was not immediately available, was resuscitated at the scene and transported to Northwest Hospital Center before being transferred to Maryland Shock Trauma Center, where he was listed in critical condition Wednesday morning, Schenning said.

Firefighters conducting a secondary search of the home located Stark, Schenning said.

WJZ-TV:

Volunteer firefighter Gene Kirchner was unconscious when removed from the home and is now in critical condition at Shock Trauma.

Kirchner is a seven-year veteran of the Reisterstown Volunteer Fire Department.

There’s no word on what caused the fire.

WBAL-TV:

Firefighters were met by heavy fire and smoke. When they went inside, they said they found Steven Stark, 58, on the second floor. He was taken to Northwest Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Baltimore County fire officials said a volunteer firefighter, identified as Gene Kirchner, 24, issued a mayday call and collapsed inside the home. Crews found him and took him to Northwest Hospital. He was then transferred to Shock Trauma, where his condition isn’t known.

Officials said the bulk of the fire was held to the back portion of the house. Fire investigators are still looking for the cause. 11 News has learned that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives has been called in to assist.

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Posted by dave statter on April 24, 2013 • Filed under: Baltimore County Fire Department, Command & Leadership, EMS Topics, fire, Fire Rescue Topics, Firefighter Safety & Health, Firefighting Operations, Fires, Major Incidents, News, Patient Management, Rescues, Videos • Tagged: ATF, Baltimore County, Baltimore County Fire Department, BATF, building fire, Capt. Rich Schenning, Command Fire Apparatus, Dave Statter, EMS, EMT, fire investigation, firefighter, firefighter down, firefighter rescued, firefighting, Fires, FireTruckBlog.com, Gene Kirchner, Glenn Usdin, Hanover Road, house fire, injured firefighter, Maryland, Maryland Shock Trauma Center, mayday, Northwest Hospital Center, paramedic, Reisterstown, Reisterstown VFC, Resiterstown Volunteer Fire Company, sellfiretrucks.com, shock trauma, STATter911.com, Steven Stark, structure fire, volunteer firefighter

Local paper identifies victims in West, Texas, including 9 firefighters from 5 departments. 911 calls from explosion released

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DallasNews.com: Last year, West plant kept 270 tons of potentially explosive fertilizer

Previous coverage: here, here & here.

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Listen to 911 calls

WacoTrib.com has come up with a list of 11 of the 14 people who died in the explosion Wednesday in West, Texas. Nine of the 11 are firefighters. To my knowledge this is not from an “official” release from authorities in Texas. You will note that in addition to the West VFD and Dallas Fire & Rescue, previously mentioned, the firefighters are from the fire departments of Mertens, Navarro Mills and Abbott.

• Morris Bridges, 41. Fire sprinkler technician for Action Fire Pros. Member of West Volunteer Fire Department.

• Perry Calvin, 37. Student at Hill College Fire Academy. Member of Mertens and Navarro Mills volunteer fire departments.

• Jerry Chapman, 26. Member of Abbott Volunteer Fire Department.

• Cody Dragoo, 50. Foreman at West Fertilizer Co. Member of West Volunteer Fire Department.

• Kenny Harris, 52. Dallas city fire captain.

• Jimmy Matus, 52. Owner of Westex Welding in West.

• Joey Pustejovsky. West City Secretary. Member of West Volunteer Fire Department.

• Cyrus Reed. Worked at Waxahachie plant. Member of Abbott Volunteer Fire Department.

• Robert Snokhaus, 48. Central Texas Iron Works employee, West volunteer firefighter.

• Doug Snokhaus, 50. Central Texas Iron Works employee, West volunteer firefighter.

• Buck Uptmor, 40s. Owner of fencing company. Lived near West.

Here is an excerpt from the article by J.B. Smith and Tommy Witherspoon:

“It’s tough, man,” said Steve Vanek, West’s mayor pro tem and volunteer fireman who survived the blast. “All these guys we’ve known all our lives. One of the firemen that died was a lifelong friend of my son. I’ve known him since he was born.”

Vanek also said Friday that the West Volunteer Fire Department lost three of its five fire engines in the blast, including a new $200,000 pumper. He said the department will rebuild, but in the meantime it will need help from its neighbors.

“You talk about family — I mean, it really is,” Vanek said. Case in point were longtime West volunteer firefighters Robert and Doug Snokhaus. Robert, 48, and Doug, 50, also worked at Central Texas Iron Works in Waco, where they were on the emergency response team. “

They were both amazing professionals at their respective responsibilities and not only long time employees but friends to everyone here at CTIW,” said company president David Harwell in an email to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

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Posted by dave statter on April 20, 2013 • Filed under: 911, 911 Audio, Administration & Leadership, Command & Leadership, Dispatch & Communications, Emergency Communications, EMS Dispatch, EMS Health & Safety, EMS Topics, fire, Fire Dispatch, Fire Rescue Topics, Firefighter Safety & Health, Firefighting Operations, Fireground Audio, Fires, HazMat, In the Line of Duty, Line of Duty, Major Incidents, Mass Casualty Incident, National Fallen Firefighters Foundation, News, Patient Management, Police, Rescues, Videos • Tagged: Abbott VFD, Action Fire Pos, apartment fire, blast, Buck Uptmor, building fire, Captain Harris, Cody Dragoo, collapse, Command Fire Apparatus, Cyrus Reed, Dallas Fire Rescue, Dave Statter, David Pareya, Doug Snokhaus, DPS, EMT, explosion, fallen firefighters, fertilizer plant, fire, Fire Truck Blog, firefighter, Firefighter & EMS Fallen Hero Fund, Fires, FireTruckBlog.com, Glenn Usdin, house fire, Jerry Chapman, Jimmy Matus, Joey Pustejovsky, Kenny Harris, line of duty death, LODD, mass casualty, MCI, McLennan County, Mertens VFD, Mike Rawlings, Morris Bridges, National Fallen Firefighters Foundation, Navarro Mills VFD, NFFF, paramedic, people trapped, Perry Calvin, rekindle, Robert Snokhaus, sellfiretrucks.com, Station 30, Steve Vanek, structure fire, Texas, Texas Department of Public Safety, Waco, West, West Fertilizer Company, West Texas Firefighter and EMS Fallen Hero Fund

UPDATED – Live video & radio traffic, videos of explosion, initial radio traffic: 3 or 4 firefighters still missing in West, TX fertilizer plant explosion. One police officer/firefighter found in hospital. Latest estimate 5 to 15 people dead & more than 100 injured.

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The number of people dead following the fertilizer plant explosion in West, Texas last night is still unclear, with varying reports coming from different officials and news organizations. What is consistent in the reporting is that firefighters and paramedics are among the dead and unaccounted for.

A briefing at 8:30 local time again confirmed again there are missing firefighters. At the briefing it was also reported that a police officer/volunteer firefighter initially reported as missing as found this morning at a Waco hospital suffering serious injuries.

Here is the latest.

DallasNews.com:

Update at 8:30 a.m. Thursday: Sgt W. Patrick Swanton, the Waco police spokesman handling media briefings in West, said at a press conference a little after 8:20 this morning that search and rescue teams are still looking for survivors.

That “is good news to me,” he said. That means authorities have “not gotten to the point of no return.”
Swanton did not update the number of those injured or killed, and he did not release names of any of the casualties. He repeated the earlier figure of five to 15 people killed but said that’s based on “very limited” information from “folks at the scene,” including local, state and federal officials.

One emergency worker who had been reported as missing, a constable serving as a volunteer firefighter, has been found hospitalized with “serious” injuries. Three or four first responders, among the first to fight the fire before the fertilizer plant exploded shortly before 8 p.m. Wednesday, remain missing, Swanton said.

Swanton also said a “small amount” of looting was reported overnight.

KWTX-TV:

Rescuers continued working Thursday morning in West in spite of a cold rain after a long night of door-to-door searches for victims of a Wednesday night explosion that killed between 5 and 15 people and injured more than 100 more.

Six firefighters and two paramedics are confirmed dead and seven nursing home residents were missing after the blast according to West EMS Director Dr. George Smith, who said earlier Wednesday night as many as 60 or 70 people may have died in the blast at West Fertilizer.

One police officer who was reported missing was located Thursday morning at Waco hospital where he was being treated for several injuries.

Smith said early Thursday morning he expects more bodies will be found during the search of damaged and destroyed homes.

WFAA-TV:

At 4:15 a.m., West, Texas EMS director Dr. George Smith confirmed that two paramedics lost their lives in Tuesday night’s explosion at West Fertilizer Company. He said six firefighters remained unaccounted for.

A Facebook page was established in memory of several firefighters who reportedly perished in the blast.

“This is a crime scene,” Sgt. Swanton said. “Until we know that it is an industrial accident, we will work it as a crime scene.”

Waco Tribune & Herald:

UPDATE, 8:40 a.m.: Officials say three or four West volunteer firefighters remain missing as they believe between five and 15 were killed in the explosion at West Fertilizer Co.

One law enforcement official who was presumed missing has been found and is being treated for significant injuries at a hospital, said Waco police Sgt. W. Patrick Swanton.

Search and rescue efforts are still ongoing in the neighborhood closest to the plant and Swanton said there has been reports of possible looting.

KDFW-TV:

A major explosion occurred Wednesday night at a fertilizer plant in the city of West, near Hillsboro in north-central Texas – killing between five and 15 people and injuring at least 160 more.

Waco Police Spokesperson Sgt. William Patrick Swanton said a fire began Wednesday evening at the West Fertilizer plant. Fifty minutes later, an explosion was reported in a frantic radio call from the scene of the fire at the plant at 1471 Jerry Mashek Dr. just off Interstate 35.

NBC News:

At least five to 15 people were killed and more than 160 wounded when a large fertilizer plant explosion rocked a small Texas town late Wednesday, destroying dozens of homes under a cloud of toxic smoke, police said.

Between three and five firefighters were still missing, Waco, Texas, police Sgt. William Patrick Swanton told reporters early Thursday.

Firefighters, including local volunteers, were battling a blaze at the time of the blast, which caused a ground tremor equivalent to a magnitude-2.1 earthquake, the USGS said. In Amarillo, Texas, a seismograph recorded the blast with a magnitude of 2.5, Swanton said.

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Posted by dave statter on April 17, 2013 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, Breaking News, Command & Leadership, Dispatch & Communications, Emergency Communications, EMS Dispatch, EMS Health & Safety, EMS Topics, fire, Fire Dispatch, Fire Rescue Topics, Firefighter Safety & Health, Firefighting Operations, Fireground Audio, Fires, HazMat, Major Incidents, Mass Casualty Incident, News, Patient Management, Rescues, Special Operations, Videos • Tagged: apartment fire, blast, building fire, collapse, Command Fire Apparatus, Dave Statter, EMT, explosion, fertilizer plant, fire, Fire Truck Blog, firefighter, Fires, FireTruckBlog.com, Glenn Usdin, house fire, mass casualty, MCI, McLennan County, paramedic, people trapped, rekindle, sellfiretrucks.com, structure fire, Texas, Waco, West

More radio traffic from firefighters taken hostage in Gwinnett County, GA. More details & video after gunman is killed & firefighters rescued.

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Still pictures shot by neighbors

Last night’s coverage

Above is more complete radio traffic from firefighterdispatch of the incident in Suwanee, Georgia yesterday where the crews from Gwinnett County Fire and Emergency Services Engine 10 and Med 10 where taken hostage for four hours.

Andria Simmons & Dan Klepal, AJC.com:

Police used “flash bang” concussion grenades to stun the gunman, who had lured firefighters to the residence by faking a heart attack hours earlier.

Officers with Gwinnett County’s SWAT team then killed the man in a shootout.

It was a violent end to a harrowing day for public safety officials and people in the community, dozens of whom watched the standoff unfold over four hours.

It started after firefighters responded to the medical call at 2440 Walnut Grove Way just after 3 p.m. The gunman initially took five firefighters hostage, but let one leave to move a firetruck in front of the house, Ritter said.

One police officer was wounded in the exchange of gunfire, but his injuries were not thought to be life-threatening. The firefighters suffered minor injuries. All were transported to a local hospital.

WXIA-TV:

Police say the suspect died during an exchange of gunfire. One police officer was shot in the hand but will be okay.

Police used a flash-bang grenade to distract the suspect when they felt the firefighters were in “immediate danger”.

Five firefighters were originally taken hostage after responding to a reported medical call at the residence near Collins Hill Rd. and Taylor Rd.

The suspect let one man go to move the fire truck. The four remaining firefighters are all okay.

According to property tax records, the home where the firefighters were held hostage was foreclosed on November 2012.

WSB-TV:

All five Gwinnett County firefighters who were held hostage Wednesday afternoon have been released from the hospital after being treated for superficial shrapnel injuries.

“Those firefighters again had superficial injuries, not from gunfire, due to shrapnel being detonated,” (Capt. Tommy) Rutledge said.

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Posted by dave statter on April 11, 2013 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, Command & Leadership, Dispatch & Communications, Emergency Communications, EMS Dispatch, EMS Health & Safety, EMS Topics, fire, Fire Dispatch, Fire Rescue Topics, Firefighter Safety & Health, Firefighting Operations, Fireground Audio, Fires, Major Incidents, News, Police, Rescues, Videos • Tagged: arms, audio, barricade, barricade situation, Command Fire Apparatus, EMS, EMT, Engine 10, Fire Truck Blog, firefighter, firefighters taken hostage, firefighting, FireTruckBlog.com, flash bang, Glenn Usdin, gunfire, gunman, Gwinett County, Gwinett County fire, Gwinnett Count SWAT, Gwinnett County Fire and Emergency Services, Gwinnett Medical Center, hostage taking, hostages, Lawreceville, Med 10, Medic 10, medical call, negotiations, officer shot, paramedic, radio channel, radio traffic, rifle, robot, sellfiretrucks.com, STATter911.com, Suwanee, SWAT team, Tommy Rutledge, Walnut Grove Way

Technical rescue: Tractor-trailer cab dangles from Monitor Merrimac bridge in Newport-News, VA with driver inside.

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Rachel West, WAVY-TV:

The driver of a tractor trailer saved from the cab hanging over the side of the Monitor Merrimac Memorial Bridge-Tunnel Monday has been charged with reckless driving.

Sgt. Michelle Anaya with the Virginia State Police said the driver of the tractor trailer lost control and struck the bridge heading southbound just before 9 a.m. The cab caught fire and was left hanging off the side of the bridge.

Anaya told WAVY.com the driver, who was trapped inside, was extracted by the Newport News and Suffolk fire departments. Almira Ribic, 43, of Newport News was transported to Riverside Regional Medical Center. She was treated and released from the hospital, according to hospital spokesman Peter Glagola.

All images from Virginia State Police.

Cindy Clayton, Virginian-Pilot:

The truck ran off the right side of the road, hit the bridge, overturned and caught fire, said Sgt. Michelle Anaya, state police spokeswoman. The cab of the truck was left dangling over the James River with the driver inside.

As the fire was extinguished, rescuers parked a firetruck from Suffolk on the northbound bridge, and firefighters from Newport News were on the southbound bridge, Anaya said. The Suffolk firetruck stretched out a ladder, also called an elevated platform, to the cab of the truck, and Newport News Master Firefighter Scott Dye rappelled down to the driver, Anaya said.

Posted by dave statter on April 8, 2013 • Filed under: Command & Leadership, EMS Health & Safety, EMS Topics, fire, Fire Rescue Topics, Firefighter Safety & Health, Firefighting Operations, Major Incidents, News, Rescues, Videos • Tagged: Bridge Tunnel, Command Fire Apparatus, Dave Statter, driver trapped, Elizabeth River, EMS, fire, Fire Truck Blog, firefighter, FireTruckBlog.com, Glenn Usdin, I-664, James River, Monitor Merrimac, Monitor Merrimac Bridge-Tunnel, Monitor Merrimac Memorial Bridge, Nansemond River, Newport News, Newport News Fire Department, paramedic, rescue, sellfiretrucks.com, STATter911.com, Suffolk, Suffolk Fire Department, technical rescue, tractor trailer dangles, TRT, truck dangles, truck driver trapped, Virginia, Virginia State Police, VSP

Raw video: Philadelphia fire that took the life of Capt. Michael Goodwin, Ladder 27.

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Previous coverage of this story

AP:

The mayor of Philadelphia on Sunday ordered flags flown at half-staff and called for prayers for the family and colleagues of a veteran fire captain killed when a roof collapsed beneath him as he battled a blaze, the third city firefighter killed in the line of duty in a year.

Capt. Michael Goodwin, 53, plunged onto the second-floor roof of the three-story building in the Fabric Row section during Saturday night’s blaze. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Fellow firefighter Andrew Godlewski, 28, burned on his hands while trying to rescue Goodwin, was discharged Sunday from a hospital, officials said.

From IAFF Local 22 website.

“We must never forget the grave risks that these heroic public servants take every day at a moment’s notice on behalf of us all,” Mayor Michael Nutter said in a statement Sunday.

At an emotional news conference late Saturday, Fire Commissioner Lloyd Ayers called Goodwin, a 29-year veteran, “a really good person.”

“He was the kind of guy who looked out for his folks,” he said. “A ladder man. A firefighter’s firefighter.”

Goodwin is survived by a wife, two grown children and three siblings, one of whom is a police officer, he said.

Police officers and fellow firefighters saluted Goodwin’s body, draped in an American flag, as it was carried to a hospital and, later, to a funeral home.

The loss came as the fire department prepared to mark a year since an April 9 blaze at a warehouse that killed Capt. Robert Neary, 59, and Daniel Sweeney, 25. They also died in a collapse, which came as they inspected an adjacent building.

“We have a department that is wounded,” Ayers said. “We have scars that are fresh, and indeed they have now been reopened.”

Nutter ordered flags flown at half-staff at all city buildings for the next 30 days in Goodwin’s honor, officials said.

At Goodwin’s fire station deep in south Philadelphia, bouquets were clustered on and around a wooden bench along with a large toy fire truck and ladder.

The American Red Cross of southeastern Pennsylvania said 17 residents were displaced by the blaze, and three of them needed financial help with hotels, food and clothing.

At the scene Sunday afternoon, a fire hose planted in the middle of the street sprayed a jet of water onto the remains of the building, which had collapsed into a pile that stretched over the sidewalk in between two other three-story row homes. Meals and counseling were being provided for grieving firefighters, the Red Cross said.

The blaze appeared to have started in a fabric store downstairs before spreading to upstairs apartments and a neighboring boutique, the store’s owner said. The proprietors of both stores told The Philadelphia Inquirer that everyone in both buildings at the time of the fire managed to escape.

The fire’s cause wasn’t immediately known, but Bruce Blumenthal, the owner of Jack B. Fabrics, said he believes it started in a wall and may have been electrical in nature. Blumenthal said he smelled smoke coming from the basement at around 5 p.m. and found a box of collars and cuffs on fire. He tried to put the flames out with an extinguisher to no avail, he said.

Copyright © 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

Posted by dave statter on April 7, 2013 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, Command & Leadership, EMS Topics, fire, Fire Rescue Topics, Firefighter Safety & Health, Firefighting Operations, Fires, IAFF, In the Line of Duty, Line of Duty, Major Incidents, National Fallen Firefighters Foundation, News, Rescues, Videos • Tagged: 4th Street, Andrew Godlinski, Bruce Blumenthal, building fire, Capt. Michael Goodwin, Captain Goodwin, Captain Michael Goodwin, Captain Robery Neary, collapse, Command Fire Apparatus, Commissioner Lloyd Ayers, Daniel Sweeney, Dave Statter, EMS, EMT, Fabric row, fabric store, Fabrics, Fire Truck Blog, firefighter, Firefighter Andrew Godlinski, Firefighter Daniel Sweeney, firefighter dead, firefighter down, firefighter injured, firefighter killed, firefighting, Fires, FireTruckBlog.com, Fitzwater Street, Glenn Usdin, Jack B, Jefferson University Hospital, Ladder 10, Ladder 2, Ladder 27, line of duty, line of duty death, Lloyd Ayers, LODD, mayday, Mayor Michael Nutter, Michael Goodwin, Michael Nutter, paramedic, PFD, Philadelphia Fire Department, Philly, Queen VIllage, Robery Neary, roof collapse, sellfiretrucks.com, STATter911.com, structure fire, Thomas Jefferson Univeristy Hospital, Urban Princess

UPDATED: Philadephia Fire Department Capt. Michael Goodwin, Ladder 27, killed in collapse at fabric shop. Firefighter Andrew Godlewski burned trying to save captain. Watch press conference.

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Philadelphia News, Weather and Sports from WTXF FOX 29

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Watch live report from scene

Philadelphia Fire Department

IAFF Local 22 (Facebook page)

WCAU-TV:

A fire burned a fabric shop, upstairs apartments and a neighboring boutique Saturday evening, causing a partial roof collapse that killed a firefighter and injured a colleague who was trying to rescue him, officials said.

Captain Michael Goodwin, 53, was killed in the line of duty, Amy Daly, a nursing supervisor at Jefferson University Hospitals, told The Associated Press. Goodwin was a 29-year veteran of the fire department. Fire Commissioner Lloyd Ayers says he was killed in a fall from the third floor roof to the second.

The second firefighter, Andrew Godlinski, 28, of Ladder 2, was hospitalized with burns. Officials say he was injured while trying to rescue Captain Goodwin. He is expected to survive.

Officials say Captain Goodwin belonged to Ladder 27. His comrades saluted as his body was carried out and taken to the hospital.

WPVI-TV:

Firefighters stood side by side and saluted 53-year-old Captain Michael Goodwin from Ladder 27b. He was killed in a fall from the third floor roof to the second.

The fire roared out of control for hours from the three story building on the stretch known as “Fabric Row.”

Neighbors say the fire started in the basement of a business called Jack B Fabrics and spread to other parts of the business and apartments upstairs.

Another firefighter 28-year-old Andrew Godlinski, suffered burns while trying to save his fallen captain. He was treated at a local hospital and is expected to survive.

View more videos at: http://nbcphiladelphia.com.

PhillyFireNews.com:

Engine-11 arrived on scene with smoke showing from the first floor of three story store front with apartments above. B/C-4 reported companies had trouble located the seat of the fire in the basement of fabric store. Placed all hands in service Deputy-1 requested the second alarm. Command ordered all companies out of the building and went in service with an exterior operations. Command requested the third alarm struck for heavy fire through out. Command requested a the collapse unit for a firefighter trapped after a collapse of the building.

The firefighter was recovered from the building and transported to the hospital with serious injuries. Another firefighter was burned in an attempt to rescue the trapped firefighter.

The firefighter was pronounced at the hospital. He had been the Captain of Ladder-27.

Mike Newall, Philly.com:

The collapse left the firefighter trapped inside the building on the street known as Fabric Row, officials said. Other firefighters saluted as his body was carried out on a stretcher and taken to Thomas Jefferson University Hospital.

The fatality came just short of a year since the last time Philadelphia firefighters died in the line of duty. A warehouse blaze in the Kensington section last April 11 killed Capt. Robert Neary, 59, and Daniel Sweeney, 25, both from Ladder 10, and injured two other firefighters.

“We have a department that is wounded,” Ayers said. “We have scars that are fresh, and indeed they have now been reopened.”

WTXF-TV:

The first engine arrived four minutes after the fire call came in, Ayers said. One person inside the building at the time was taken out by firefighters, as they stretched hoses into the building and went to work.

It was 31 minutes after the initial call when the second alarm was struck. Ayers said the crews faced “faced heavy smoke, heavy fire,” adding that from the exterior you could see fabric throughout the store.

It was 6:21 p.m. when officials were informed that a member of the department was “down.” The report changed to one member “missing,” and a third alarm was struck by 6:30 p.m.

Ayers said they found out subsequently that the firefighter “had fallen from the third-floor roof to the second-floor roof.”

“Firefighters were trying to rescue him from the second-floor roof when that roof collapsed,” the fire commissioner went on to say.

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KYW-TV image, Marshall Fleming.

Posted by dave statter on April 6, 2013 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, Command & Leadership, EMS Topics, fire, Fire Rescue Topics, Firefighter Safety & Health, Firefighting Operations, Fires, IAFF, In the Line of Duty, Line of Duty, Major Incidents, National Fallen Firefighters Foundation, News, Patient Management, Rescues, Videos • Tagged: 4th Street, Andrew Godlewski, Andrew Godlinski, Bruce Blumenthal, building fire, Capt. Michael Goodwin, Captain Goodwin, Captain Michael Goodwin, Captain Robery Neary, collapse, Command Fire Apparatus, Commissioner Lloyd Ayers, Daniel Sweeney, Dave Statter, EMS, EMT, Fabric row, fabric store, Fabrics, Fire Truck Blog, firefighter, Firefighter Andrew Godlinski, Firefighter Daniel Sweeney, firefighter dead, firefighter down, firefighter injured, firefighter killed, firefighting, Fires, FireTruckBlog.com, Fitzwater Street, Glenn Usdin, Jack B, Jefferson University Hospital, Ladder 10, Ladder 2, Ladder 27, line of duty, line of duty death, Lloyd Ayers, LODD, mayday, Mayor Michael Nutter, Michael Goodwin, Michael Nutter, paramedic, PFD, Philadelphia Fire Department, Philly, Queen VIllage, Robery Neary, roof collapse, sellfiretrucks.com, STATter911.com, structure fire, Thomas Jefferson Univeristy Hospital, Urban Princess

Raw video: Two dead in rowhouse fire in Mahanoy City, PA.

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Video and still pictures from JC Kriesher (jck5055) of FireandFilm.com of a double fatal fire around 2:00 this morning at 329 East Centre Street in Mahanoy City, Pennsylvania (Schuylkill County). A third person was injured and flown out.

Frank Adruscavage, RepublicanHerald.com:

One man was removed from a first floor apartment and taken to the State Correctional Institution at Mahanoy where a MedEvac helicopter landed.

Minutes later firefighters found a man and woman on the second floor of the building and brought the two down to awaiting emergency medical personnel.

Although fire officials would not confirm any fatalities as a result of the fire pending notification of relatives, a deputy coroner was called to the scene and EMS personnel said two people did not survive.

“At this point all I can say is that we removed three people from the building and they were all taken to area facilities,” said Anthony Blackwell, Mahanoy City Fire Department safety officer.

Here’s what JC wrote about the fire:

First responding units were advised that multiple calls were received for smoke and flames coming from the first floor of a rowhome. Assistant Chieff 455 arrived on the scene and confirmed the working fire with heavy fire from Side “A” and stated there was possible entrapment.

Tower 456 arrived on the scene and pulled past the address. Engine 451 took the address with Engine 454 directly behind them. Ladder 457 positioned next to E451. Crews stretched lines and set up the tower. A request for the second alarm was transmitted.

A patient was quickly removed from the building and handed off to EMS. After a quick assessment, EMS requested aeromedical to fly to a local landing zone to fly the patient to a burn center. Additional EMS units were requested into the scene as there were reports of two additional people unaccounted for.

Crews were making good progress on the fire and pulled the two additional people from the building. Conditions quickly changed and firefighters pulled out of the building as the smoke conditions worsened and fire began to vent from the third floor windows.

The heavy fire was knocked down with the deck gun from Engine 451 and crews re-entered the building. The bulk of the fire was knocked down within thirty minutes of the initial dispatch.

Posted by dave statter on April 6, 2013 • Filed under: Command & Leadership, EMS Topics, fire, Fire Rescue Topics, Firefighter Safety & Health, Firefighting Operations, Fires, News, Rescues, Videos • Tagged: building fire, Command Fire Apparatus, Dave Statter, deadly fire, EMS, EMT, fatal fire, fire, Fire Truck Blog, firefighter, firefighting, Fires, FireTruckBlog.com, Glenn Usdin, house fire, Mahanoy City, Mahanoy City fire, paramedic, Pennsylvania, rowhouse fire, Schuylkill County, sellfiretrucks.com, STATter911.com, structure fire

Video & pictures: Four rescued by ladder from Silver Spring, MD high-rise fire. Eight injured with one critical.

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Susan Phillips, WUSA9.com:

Montgomery County fire officials say a man is in critical condition at a burn center after a two-alarm blaze in Silver Spring on Tuesday morning. Several other people, including a six-year-old child, were also taken to hospitals, according to officials.

Pictures from Montgomery County Fire & Rescue Service.

Beth Anne Nesselt, spokeswoman for the department, says dispatchers received a report of a fire at 415 Silver Spring Avenue shortly before 7 a.m. The department was just a short distance away, literally up the street, from the apartment building.

Once firefighters arrived on scene they found orange flames shooting from the top floor of a 6-story apartment building. Cell phone video captured the intense fire. A request for a second alarm was transmitted shortly after arrival.

Firefighters to rescue several elderly residents who threw their belongings out of the window. Some residents were escorted down the stairs to safety. Four people were rescued by ladder.

As many as eight people were injured. A fire spokesperson said, “One is an elderly adult with priority one, serious, life-threatening injuries as a result of burns and smoke.” A 57-year-old man was also burned. A middle-aged woman suffered non-life-threatening injuries and a six-year-old child was taken to the hospital with minor injuries.

Posted by dave statter on April 2, 2013 • Filed under: Command & Leadership, EMS Topics, fire, Fire Rescue Topics, Firefighter Safety & Health, Firefighting Operations, Fires, Montgomery County Fire Rescue Service (MD), News, Rescues, Videos • Tagged: apartment fire, building fire, Command Fire Apparatus, critical injury, Dave Statter, District of Columbia, EMS, fire, Fire Truck Blog, firefighter, firefighting, Fires, FireTruckBlog.com, Glenn Usdin, hi-rise fire, high-rise fire, ladder rescue, Maryland, MCFRS, Mongtomery County Fire & Rescue Service, Montogmery Towers, paramedic, rescue, sellfiretrucks.com, Silver Spring, Silver Spring Avenue, STATter911.com, structure fire

Caught on video: Woman rescued from Citrus Heights, CA apartment fire.

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Click here for Part 2.

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Multiple neighbors shooting video yesterday afternoon as a woman was brought out through a window of a Citrus Heights, California (Sacramento County) apartment, apparently in cardiac arrest and suffering from burns. At least word she was in critical condition.

Mirna Alfonso, Citrus Heights Patch:

A resident suffered burns, two families were displaced and a cat and dog died in a blaze at a Citrus Heights apartment building.

The fire was reported about 2:30 p.m. in the 5800 block of Sunrise Vista Drive, according to Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District Capt. Kim Fong.

They found one person in the apartment, got the victim out through a bedroom window and medics transported the resident to a burn center, Fong said.

Maneeza Iqbal, KXTV-TV:

When crews arrived on scene, a firefighter broke a bedroom window of the unit on fire, entered the unit and rescued the woman trapped inside. Fong said the woman was transported to a burn unit with critical injuries.

A cat and a dog died in the fire.

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Posted by dave statter on March 8, 2013 • Filed under: Command & Leadership, EMS Topics, fire, Fire Rescue Topics, Firefighter Safety & Health, Firefighting Operations, Fires, Major Incidents, News, Patient Management, Rescues, Videos • Tagged: building fire, burns, California, Captain Kim Fong, cardiac arrest, Cirus Hieghts fire, Citrus Heights, Command Fire Apparatus, Dave Statter, EMS, EMT, fire, Fire Truck Blog, firefighter, firefighting, Fires, FireTruckBlog.com, Glenn Usdin, house fire, Kim Fong, paramedic, Sacaramento Metropolitan Fire District, save CPR, sellfiretrucks.com, STATter911.com, woman rescued, woman trapped

Follow-up: Utica firefighters honored for saving four-year-old whose rescue was caught on video.

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Previous Coverage of this story

Tom Eschen, CNYCentral.com:

Seven Utica firefighters and one Utica Police officer were honored on Wednesday night for rescuing a four-year-old girl from a burning building on February 22nd.

Jeff Baranowski, Brian Bova, Jessica Caulkins, Fred DeCarlo, Captain Scott Ingersoll, Marc Manno and Lt. Dominick Meyers were awarded certificates for their roles in saving Halima Haji, who lived at Adrean Terrace in east Utica.

“It happened so fast,” DeCarlo says. “When I watched [the video], I don’t remember half of it, everything crashes all in at once, you just do what you can do, what you’re trained to do.”

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Posted by dave statter on March 7, 2013 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, Command & Leadership, EMS Topics, fire, Fire Rescue Topics, Firefighter Safety & Health, Firefighting Operations, Fires, Major Incidents, must see video, News, Patient Management, Rescues, Videos • Tagged: Adrean Terrace, apartment fire, building fire, child rescued, child saved, Command Fire Apparatus, Dave Statter, EMS, EMT, fire, Fire Truck Blog, firefighter, firefighting, Fires, girl rescued, girl saved, Glenn Usdin, honor, New York, paramedic, rescue, save, sellfiretrucks.com, smoke inhalation, STATter911.com, structure fire, Utica, Utica Fire Department, Utica firefighters

Is Plano, TX Fire Chief Brian Crawford the best person to be at the gym with or the worst? You be the judge.

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Read more at PlanoStar.com

It appears that when Plano, Texas Chief Brian Crawford decides to visit the gym on a Wednesday night, you better watch out because someone is likely to go into cardiac arrest. That’s the bad news. The good news is the two people that has happened to just three weeks apart are lucky to have had Chief Crawford and some other workers at the city run recreation center around.

You may recall the January 30 story we told you about of Chief Crawford having his workout interrupted to help the staff at Tom Muehlenbeck Center revive a 53-year-old man. Well, last Wednesday a reception was held at the rec center to honor the rescuers. The man who was revived was also there.

Matthew Watkins at DallasNews.com reports while the celebration was under way, a 62-year-old man went down in the middle of playing basketball at the center:

Again, parks department employees and the same paramedics who were being honored rushed to help the 62-year-old man. CPR was performed and the man was alert and talking by the time he was transported to the hospital.

“These CPR save stories are proof that our outreach efforts and CPR training are coming together and saving lives,” Crawford said in a press release. “Citizens are empowered with the knowledge and skill to do what needs to be done in the minutes after witnessing a cardiac arrest; calling 9-1-1 to get the fire crews on the way and performing CPR. Plano’s a great place to live, and while it may seem strangely comforting, a great place to have a cardiac arrest if you’re going to
have one.”

Congratulations to all involved.

My memory is hazy on this but I recall a similar story in the Washington, DC area years ago, except that in that case the revived victim of the first cardiac arrest, coded again during the ceremony and was revived again by the same crew. Who remembers this? Was it in Howard County or possibly Montgomery County?

Posted by dave statter on February 27, 2013 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, Command & Leadership, EMS Topics, fire, Fire Rescue Topics, News, Rescues • Tagged: AED, Brian Crawford, cardiac arrest, Chief Brian Crawford, Command Fire Apparatus, CPR, Dave Statter, EMS, EMT, fire, Fire Truck Blog, firefighter, firefighting, FireTruckBlog.com, Glenn Usdin, gym, paramedic, Patrick McGill, Plano, Plano Fire Department, rescue, resuscitate, save, sellfiretrucks.com, Shreveport, STATter911.com, Texas, Tom Muehlenbeck Recreation Center, working out

Must see video: FDNY firefighters to the rescue as man hacks wife with meat cleaver in Chinatown.

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View more videos at: http://nbcnewyork.com.

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(Thanks to P.J. Norwood for alerting STATter911.com to this story.)

Kristan Conley & Amy Stretton, New York Post:

Two heroic city firefighters pounced on a meat-cleaver-wielding maniac this morning as he hacked his terrified wife, authorities said.

The bloody domestic attack occurred outside Fong’s Trading at 74 Canal St. in Chinatown — and was captured on chilling security video.

Firefighters Jose Ortiz and James Trainor, who work across the street at Engine Company 9, Ladder Company 6, said they first heard the couple screaming at each other and tussling around 10:24 a.m.

WABC-TV:

As they ran to help her, they say the man took out a meat cleaver and started to attack her.

The firefighters were able to separate the two and subdue the attacker.

The wounded woman fled from the scene before she was stopped and turned over to EMT’s for medical care.

The 24-year old victim suffered wounds to her face, back and hips, and was transported to Bellevue Hospital.

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Posted by dave statter on February 24, 2013 • Filed under: Command & Leadership, EMS Topics, FDNY, Fire Rescue Topics, Firefighter Safety & Health, Major Incidents, must see video, News, Police, Rescues, Videos • Tagged: attack, Canal Street, cleaver attack, Command Fire Apparatus, Dave Statter, domestic assault, EMS, EMT, Engine 9, FDNY, fire, Fire Truck Blog, firefighter, firefighters save woman, firefighters to rescue, firefighting, FireTruckBlog.com, Fong's, Fong's Trading, Glenn Usdin, James Trainor, Jose Ortiz, Ladder 6, meat cleaver, must see video, New York, paramedic, sellfiretrucks.com, STATter911.com, women attacked

Rescue caught on video: Child pulled from apartment fire in Utica, NY.

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This is video by Vasiliy Stadnik of V-STA Productions (Vstadnik) from a fire on Friday in Utica, New York showing the rescue of a four-year-old girl from the second floor. Utica Fire Department Deputy Chief John Kelly, who is Director of Communications, tells STATter911.com the apartments “were two bedroom units converted to four bedroom units with two staircases in the apartments”. Chief Kelly said by email, “Very confusing layouts, but our crews are very familiar with them”.

Lexie O’Connor, WKTV-TV:

A four year old girl is listed in critical condition after being trapped inside a burning apartment. The fire happened at a municipal housing complex on the 1600 block Armory Drive in Utica Friday.

Crews were called to the fire at the Adrean Terrace Apartments on Armory Drive just before 5:30 Friday evening. When they arrived they immediately requested more assistance hearing that people were trapped inside.

The four year old girl was trapped on the second floor. Firefighters reached her using a ladder and going through a second floor window.

“The apartment created some problems we couldn’t get from one side to the other without going down the stairs and back up the stairs and that’s what crews had to do to get to the girl,” said Utica Assistant Chief George Clark. “They did a great job at getting her out and she at least has a chance at this point.”

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Posted by dave statter on February 23, 2013 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, Command & Leadership, EMS Topics, fire, Fire Rescue Topics, Firefighter Safety & Health, Firefighting Operations, Fires, must see video, News, Rescues, Videos • Tagged: Adrean Terrace, apartment fire, building fire, child rescued, child saved, Command Fire Apparatus, Dave Statter, EMS, EMT, fire, Fire Truck Blog, firefighter, firefighting, Fires, girl rescued, girl saved, Glenn Usdin, New York, paramedic, sellfiretrucks.com, smoke inhalation, STATter911.com, structure fire, Utica, Utica Fire Department

Raw video & fireground audio: Back-to-back two-alarm fires in Buffalo, NY. Rescues & fatality at first fire.

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Early Frday morning Don Murtha III (murthad02) shot video of back-to-back two alarm fires in Buffalo, New York. During the first fire (above) on Timon Street, firefighter pulled out a mother and child. The mother died at the hospital. Here’s news coverage. Below is Don’s description:

Buffalo Firefighters responded early this morning at 0025 Hrs for a report of a structure fire on Timon St. Ladder 6 went on location reporting fire on the 1st floor with reports of 2 victims trapped inside. Rescue 1 reported an exposure involved & B-43 requested an additional 2 & 1 to the scene (E2, E31, L5). B-56 reported heavy fire on the 1st floor extending throughout, & requested the balance of the 2nd alarm to the scene. An additional 2 Engines (E36, E25) were also requested to the scene. B-56 reported 2 victims rescued by Rescue 1. One victim was pronounced at an area hospital.

Here’s Don’s description on the second fire (above). Note the evacuation order comes at 15:05:

Buffalo Firefighters responded early this morning at 0303 Hrs to investigate an odor of smoke on Forest Ave. Engine 19 went on location with smoke showing and requested the balance of the 1st alarm to the scene. B-44 reported heavy smoke from the rear of a 200×40 building and requested an additional 2 & 1 (E28, E36, L14) to the scene. B-56 reported heavy fire conditions on the 1st floor and requested the balance of the 2nd alarm to the scene. All crews were ordered out of the main fire building and defensive operations were used.

Posted by dave statter on February 23, 2013 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, Command & Leadership, Dispatch & Communications, Emergency Communications, EMS Topics, fire, Fire Rescue Topics, Firefighter Safety & Health, Firefighting Operations, Fireground Audio, News, Rescues, Videos • Tagged: Buffalo, Buffalo Fire Department, building fire, child rescued, Command Fire Apparatus, Dave Statter, defensive operations, EMS, EMT, evacuation, exposures, fatal fire, fire, Fire Truck Blog, firefighter, firefighting, FireTruckBlog.com, Forest Avenue, Glenn Usdin, house fire, New York, paramedic, Rescues, sellfiretrucks.com, STATter911.com, structure fire, Timon Street, two-alarms

Busy day for PGFD: Audio from fatal Glenarden fire. Pictures from second house fire.

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Image above from 92nd Avenue by WJLA-TV/ABC7′s Brad Bell.

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Above is the dispatch and fireground audio from the house fire around 4:00 this morning on Leslie Avenue in Glenarden, MD. Four people were pulled out in cardiac arrest. A man and two children died. A third child is in critical condition. A woman and another child had escaped before firefighters arrived. Click here for our earlier coverage.

Images above from 92nd Avenue by PGFD Chief Marc Bashoor.

While reporters and department officials gathered at the scene on Leslie Avenue this morning there was another house fire about a mile and a half away in the 3900 block of 92nd Avenue in Springdale. Pictures and video on this post are from that fire. Here is info from PGFD PIO Mark Brady:

At about 9:30 am, Thursday, February 21, a Maryland National Capitol Park and Planning Police Officer happened upon a working house fire in the 3900 block of 92nd Avenue in Springdale.

Firefighters arrived to find a 1-story single family home, with exposure building on the rear side, Firefighters found fire showing and heavy smoke coming from the rear of the structure. Neighbors reported that a disabled occupant could still be in the house and firefighters were in the process of a search of the homes interior when conditions deteriorated rapidly and all personnel were evacuated from the structure. After a bulk of the fire was knocked down from the exterior, firefighters re-entered the structure to complete their primary search. The occupant was soon located safe and out side of the home.

Firefighters completed extinguishment in the primary house and the exposure with 45 minutes.

No injuries have been reported at this point and the cause of the fire is under investigation. The structure will be declared “unsafe” and the occupants displaced.

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Posted by dave statter on February 21, 2013 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, Command & Leadership, Dispatch & Communications, Emergency Communications, EMS Topics, fire, Firefighter Arson, Firefighter Safety & Health, Firefighting Operations, Fireground Audio, Fires, Major Incidents, News, PGFD, PGFD (MD), Rescues, Videos • Tagged: 33, 833, 92nd Avenue, building fire, Chief Marc Bashoor, Dave Statter, deadly fire, EMS, EMT, fatal fire, fire, Fire Truck Blog, firefighter, firefighting, Fireground Audio, Fires, FireTruckBlog.com, Glenarden, Glenn Usdin, house fire, Kentland, Kentland VFD, Leslie Avenue, Mark Brady, Maryland, paramedic, PG County, PG fire, PGFD, Prince George's County, Prince George's County Fire, Prince George's County Fire/EMS Department, Prince George's Fire, rescue, rescue attempt, Rescues, sellfiretrucks.com, Springdale, structure fire, three dead, three dead in house fire

Four pulled from Glenarden, MD house fire. PGFD says adult & 2 children dead, 1 child critical.

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More coverage from Bill Carey at BackstepFirefighter.com

Tweet from PGFD Marc Bashoor at 6:13 AM:

Leslie Av house fire. Sad day – adult male & 2 kids pronounced at hospitals, pulse restored 1 child-critical, 1 child, 1 adult female stable

Picture from PGFD Chief Marc Bashoor.

Press release from PGFD’s Mark Brady:

Firefighters were alerted to a house fire with occupants trapped at around 4:00 am, Thursday, February 21.

Volunteer Firefighters from Kentland Station 833 were the first to arrive at a brick 1-story with basement single family home in the 8600 block of Leslie Avenue in Glenarden. Conditions on arrival included fire and heavy smoke showing. Kentland and other arriving firefighters initiated a search of the burning home and removed 1 adult male and 3 children: 5, 8 and 10 year old females. All four were not breathing and had no pulse. Firefighters started CPR on the victims and all were quickly transported by paramedics to area hospitals. 2 other occupants, an adult female and an 8 year old child, had escaped the fire before the fire departments arrival and sustained less serious injuries and have been transported to area hospitals.

The fire was knocked down within 30 minutes. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation.

The adult male and two of the children were pronounced deceased a short time after arriving at the hospital despite the very best efforts of everyone involved. One child had a pulse restored and is in the process of being transported to a hospital that specializes in the care and treatment of children.

As additional information becomes available this site will be updated.

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Posted by dave statter on February 21, 2013 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, Command & Leadership, EMS Topics, fire, Fire Rescue Topics, Firefighter Safety & Health, Fireground Audio, Fires, Major Incidents, News, PGFD, PGFD (MD), PIO, Rescues • Tagged: 33, 833, building fire, Chief Marc Bashoor, Dave Statter, deadly fire, EMS, EMT, fatal fire, fire, Fire Truck Blog, firefighter, firefighting, Fires, FireTruckBlog.com, Glenarden, Glenn Usdin, house fire, Kentland, Kentland VFD, Leslie Avenue, Mark Brady, Maryland, paramedic, PG County, PG fire, PGFD, Prince George's County, Prince George's County Fire, Prince George's County Fire/EMS Department, Prince George's Fire, rescue, rescue attempt, Rescues, sellfiretrucks.com, structure fire, three dead, three dead in house fire

Must see video: Deadly Kansas City explosion caught on surveillance video.

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KSHB-TV:

Authorities said a body has been found in the rubble where JJ’s Restaurant once stood. They did not release information on the gender or identity of the body.

Authorities had been looking for a missing woman. She was an employee of JJ’s, but no other details were given about her.

Early reports indicated that two people were missing — a man and a woman. Just after 5 a.m. Wednesday, officials said the man was safely located at an area hospital. Officials recanted that information during a 10:30 a.m. news conference, though. They said the man was not at the site of the explosion and had contacted his family.

Authorities initially reported that a construction worker struck a natural gas line. Missouri Gas Energy released the following statement on Wednesday:

“We remain focused on supporting the ongoing investigation into the cause of last night’s incident and on ensuring the continued security of the site.

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Posted by dave statter on February 20, 2013 • Filed under: EMS Health & Safety, EMS Topics, fire, Fire Rescue Topics, Firefighter Safety & Health, Firefighting Operations, Fires, Major Incidents, Mass Casualty Incident, must see video, News, Rescues, Videos • Tagged: 48th, Belleview, blast, building explodes, building fire, collapse, Command Fire Apparatus, Country Club Plaza, Dave Statter, EMS, EMT, explosion, explosion caught on video, fire, Fire Truck Blog, firefighter, Fires, FireTruckBlog.com, gas blast, gas explosion, Glenn Usdin, injuries, J.J's, JJ's restaurant, Kansas City, Kansas City Fire, Kansas City Fire Department, mass casualty, MCI, Missouri, natural gas, natural gas odorm, paramedic, restaurant explosion, sellfiretrucks.com, structure fire, surveillance video, University of Kansas Hospital

PGFD Beltway crash update: West Lanham Hills VFD Chief John Alter disputes police account of how collision occurred. Says no U-turn at I-95/495 emergency turn-around.

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West Lanham Hills VFD website

West Lanham Hills VFD Facebook page

Extensive series of photographs from Beltway crash scene from Todd Sherman, Northern Illinois FireGround Photos

Jennifer Donelan, WJLA-TV:

Tonight the West Lanham fire chief is disputing the official account of what caused a crash that injured seven people in a Beltway crash, including four firefighters.

One of those men underwent hours of surgery to have his arm re-attached after the rollover crash.

Chief John Alter said he can’t stand by and watch his guys take the blame for something he says they didn’t do. One of their own was critically hurt in this accident but there is another black cloud hanging over this station.

West Lanham Hills VFD Chief John Alter.

Volunteer firefighter. Lt. Ryan Emmons, 30, continues to recover after his arm was severed early Wednesday morning during an accident involving his fire engine and a tractor trailer.

Instead of complete relief, Alter said there is great angst.

Late Wednesday afternoon, Prince George’s County Police released their preliminary findings on the accident which had the Beltway closed for hours, saying the fire engine was just leaving an accident call when it tried to make a U-turn at an emergency vehicle access point.

West Lanham Hills VFD Lt. Ryan Emmons.

Police say the engine collided with a tractor trailer, which sources say had the right of way. The two trucks slid into the median and hit a Jeep SUV. In all, seven people were hurt, including four firefighters.

Three of those firefighters have been released from an area hospital, County Fire Chief Marc Bashoor said.

“We just believe that they were attempting to make a U-turn on 495,” says Lt. William Alexander, a PGPD spokesperson.

Scene photos by Todd Sherman, Northern Illinois FireGround Photos, who was riding with Kentland VFD on Wednesday morning.

“Were they making a U-turn?” asks Alter. “No ma’am, they were not. They were slowing down for a call.”

Alter says his four firefighters were driving on the inner loop of the Beltway and just as they arrived at an accident call, which was on the opposite side, dispatch told them they weren’t needed.

Alter says his guys who had slowed down were about to continue forward on the inner loop and head home when he said the driver looked behind him and noticed a tractor trailer bearing down on him. He says the driver pushed on the gas to speed up.

“I credit the driver of the apparatus for saving my fellow firefighters’ lives,” Alter says.

Alter says the semi slammed right into the back of the engine. When showed a photo ABC7 obtained, the chief explained if the engine had been making a U-turn there would be damage on the driver’s side.

Alter says the engine driver, an Afghanistan war vet, was first to reach Emmons and he wrapped eEmmons’ arm in a tourniquet and stopped the bleeding.

Alter says the engine driver didn’t put lives at risk, he saved lives.

“We have a long recovery to go,” Alter says. “I can’t wait for this erroneous report to go away, so we can get back to serving the community.”

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Posted by dave statter on February 1, 2013 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, Command & Leadership, EMS Health & Safety, EMS Topics, fire, Fire Rescue Topics, Firefighter Safety & Health, Major Incidents, News, PGFD, PGFD (MD), PIO, Police, Rescues, Vehicle Operations & Apparatus, Videos • Tagged: 828, accident, beltway crash, big rig, Chief Marc Bashoor, collision, Command Fire Apparatus, Company 28, crash, EMS, EMT, fire, fire engine crash, Fire Truck Blog, fire truck crash, firefighter, firefighter hurt, firefighter injured, firefighting, FireTruckBlog.com, Glenn Usdin, I-495, I-95, injury, investigation, John ALter. Alicia Francis, Marc Bashoor, Maryland, Maryland Beltway, Maryland State Police, MSP, paramedic, PG, PG COunty Fire, PG fire, PG Fire/EMS, PG Hospital, PGFD, PGPD, Prince George's County, Prince George's County Fire/EMS Department, Prince George's County Police Department, Prince George's Fire, Ryan Emmons, save arm, sellfiretrucks.com, semi, STATter911.com, tractor trailer, turn around, u-turn, Union Memorial, West Lanham, West Lanham Hills, William Alexander

Early video: House fire in Malone, New York.

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Video from Dylan195260 of a fire on Main Street in Malone, NY yesterday afternoon. Excerpt from the description with the video:

Two MVPD officers arrived on scene to find a male hanging from a window trying to escape the blaze. The two officers and local fire fighters were able to reach the man and get him down without further harm though he had to be transported to Alice Hyde Hospital for treatment.

YNN:

One person had to be rescued from a second floor apartment. The person was taken to Alice Hyde Hospital. Their condition is unknown.

The fire also sent a firefighter to the hospital with a hand injury.

Fire officials say the structure’s balloon frame construction was part of the reason the fire spread so quickly.

“It got into the walls and spread up and down. Both ways in the structure, up into the attic and then from the attic to the main part of the house. It’s a labor intensive overhaul operation,” said Malone Fire Chief Brian Gokey.