At Least 7 Firefighters Killed in South Carolina Sofa Store Blaze
wazzzy
At least seven firefighters were killed Monday night in a massive
blaze at a sofa store and warehouse here.
The bodies of four firefighters had been located, and a search was
underway for three others, sources said.
The Post and Courier quoted Mayor Joe Riley: "There are several
Charleston city firefighters missing in this fire."
Other local news organizations were reporting the store's roof
collapsed and sent debris over about two-dozen rescue workers while
spectators were hit with flying ash.
Riley called the missing firefighters heroes. "This is a profession
that we must never take for granted," the mayor said. "There's a fire
raging and they go toward it."
There were reports of other firefighters injured as well.
A crisis team from the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation was
deployed, and were en route to Charleston just after midnight, said
Ron Siarnicki, NFFF executive director.
"The team will be in Charleston to help the department in any way it
can. We're there to support them during this time."
Firehouse.com will be updating this story throughout the morning as
more details become available.
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PirateJohn
toll could go higher still.
PirateJohn
> CNN is now reporting 8 fire fighters dead. Sadly, it sounds like the
> toll could go higher still.
~~~
South Carolina Blaze Kills Nine Firefighters
Cause of Warehouse Fire Under Investigation
By BRUCE SMITH
AP
CHARLESTON, S.C. (June 19) -- Nine firefighters died in a blaze that
swept through a furniture warehouse in a disaster the mayor described
Tuesday as "difficult to fathom or quantify."
"Nine brave, heroic, courageous firefighters of the city of Charleston
have perished fighting fire in a most courageous and fearless manner,
carrying out their duties," Charleston Mayor Joseph P. Riley said at a
morning news conference. "To all of their loved ones, our heart goes
out to them."
Overnight, firefighters saluted as the bodies of their colleagues were
taken from the warehouse.
Riley said the county coroner planned to disclose the names of the
dead. He said the cause of the fire was under investigation.
The fire broke out about 7 p.m. Monday in the Sofa Super Store and
warehouse, forcing officials to close off part of a nearby roadway.
Witnesses said the store's roof collapsed, throwing debris over about
two-dozen rescue workers. Onlookers were hit with flying ash.
Riley said he believed all of the store's employees escaped. At least
one worker and two firefighters were taken to the hospital.
Daniel Shahid, a salesman at a nearby car dealership, said
firefighters came in asking for towels.
"The next thing you know, we were carrying hoses, directing traffic,
everybody from the dealership," he said.
Shahid said he saw firefighters rescue four people from the building.
"They were struggling. They were covered in black soot. They looked
scared out of their minds," Shahid said.
J.D. Baldwin
In the previous article, wazzzy <enter...@gmail.com> wrote:
> At least seven firefighters were killed Monday night in a massive
> blaze at a sofa store and warehouse here.
As noted elsewhere, it's up to nine. I believe this is the worst
multiple firefighter fatality on the fireground since September 2001.
(There was a bigger incident a few years back, but it was a vehicle
accident while returning from a wildland fire, not a fireground
incident.)
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_+_ From the catapult of |If anyone disagrees with any statement I make, I
_|70|___:)=}- J.D. Baldwin |am quite prepared not only to retract it, but also
\ / bal...@panix.com|to deny under oath that I ever made it. -T. Lehrer
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