Trapped firefighter describes final moments of New Carlisle, IN Asst. Chief Jamie Middlebrook
More fire news from FireCritic.com
Previous coverage of this story
New Carlisle, Indiana Firefighter Matt O’Donnell wants people to know that Assistant Chief Jamie Middlebrook’s final moments were not filled with fear or sadness. A week after a collapse at the K-Fex building that broke Chief Middlebrook’s neck and, according to the coroner, killed him instantly, O’Donnell tells his story to WSBT-TV‘s Kelli Stopczynski. O’Donnell was trapped after the roof collapse and suffered a broken leg.
Matt O’Donnell, Middlebrook and another firefighter were attempting to set up an unmanned monitor inside the burning building. O’Donnell, an 18-year veteran, did not feel it was a risky move.
“We weren’t in a bad spot. I did not feel heat at all,” he said Tuesday.
“Not once. We read the building, we read the smoke coming out of the building,” he continued.
The hose line was almost set when he heard a rumble. Seconds later, he recalled being trapped under heavy debris, screaming his partner’s name.
“I take the flashlight off my helmet that was given to me by my family, and I started to look around. Jamie’s not visible. Jamie’s reflectors off his coat aren’t visible, his boots aren’t visible,” O’Donnell said. “I would have taken anything.”
He described banging on the roof that had collapsed around him, hoping someone on the outside might be able to hear him.
“The radio is going ballistic. Somebody is screaming, ‘We have a collapse!’ Somebody is screaming, ‘We have a mayday,’” he said.
