Five years ago: Sofa Super Store kills nine Charleston, SC firefighters.
Tomorrow (Monday) is the fifth anniversary of the Sofa Super Store fire that took the lives of nine firefighters in Charleston, South Carolina. Lost in that fire were Engineer Bradford “Brad” Baity, Captain Mike Benke, Firefighter Melvin Champaign, Firefighter James “Earl” Drayton, Asst. Engineer Michael French, Captain William “Billy” Hutchinson, Engineer Mark Kelsey, Captain Louis Mulkey and Firefighter Brandon Thompson.
June 18, 2007 was also a Monday and, as I am now, I was at the beach attending the Maryland State Firemen’s Association Convention in Ocean City. STATter911.com was a little more than a month old when the fire occurred. Here are my first two posts on the fire as information began to trickle out that evening and into the next morning:
One TV station reports 2 firefighters missing at a fire this evening at the Sofa Superstore on Route 17. Another quotes long-time Charleston Mayor Joe Riley as saying “several local firefighters” are missing.
Some early still pictures on WCBD-TV’s website.
UPDATE: At 11:00 p.m. a reporter at WCSC-TV said, “as many as 6 firefighters” have been killed in this fire. There is video and more details here. Witness claims to have heard firefighters last words on radio.
UPATE: At 11:46 p.m. WCSC-TV’s website claims “as many as 7 firefighters” missing following a collapse of the furniture store.
WCBD-TV has unedited video of the fire in Charleston, SC where, at 2:00 a.m., it appears at least 7 firefighters have died. The video starts as the photographer works his way up to the scene.
By the time the photographer is close to the building the collapse has already occurred. It appears to be a very chaotic scene at that point with people in civilian clothing pulling hose lines.
Post Assessment Team – Phase I Report
Post Assessment Team – Phase II Report
NIOSH Report February 11, 2009
NIST Technical Study – Volume I
NIST Technical Study – Volume II
City of Charleston archived documents
The Secret List on other firefighters lost around Father’s Day
International Firefighter Safety & Health Week
