Firefighter John Kelly & town worker die in Tarrytown, New York manhole. Occurred behind firehouse.

Click above to see Tarrytown-Sleepy Hallow Patch video from the scene and hear statements from town officials

Click here for pictures from the scene

Tarrytown Fire Department

Shortly after 6:30 this evening Firefighter John Kelly went into a manhole behind the Consolidated Engine Company in Tarrytown, New York where a worker collapsed after being overcome by fumes. Town officials say that Firefighter Kelly and Tarrytown employee Anthony Ruggiero did not come out of the hole alive. Ruggiero had been investigating a sewage backup.

Excerpts from an article by reporter Sean Roach at the Tarrytown-Sleepy Hallow Patch:

“The police department received a call that a man had fallen down a manhole,” Blau said. “Police responded and found two men in the manhole.”

Kelly had been quick to respond to the scene and had attempted to rescue Ruggiero, Blau said. He too was overcome and lost consciousness. Both men had gone down the manhole without oxygen tanks.

Police called for a hazardous materials unit and an advanced rescue team from Greenburgh to help rescue the men.

While the teams were one their way, Tarrytown Fire Department Second Assistant Chief Gene Gasparre put on an oxygen tank and carried supplemental oxygen for both men and descended into the manhole aided by Felix Sartario.

“They did what they could under horrible circumstances to get these guys out and give them a chance,” Fixell said. “Even though it didn’t work out in the end, it was truly heroic selfless actions by our fire department, our police department and our volunteer ambulance corps.”

The video below has details of the attempted rescue of the two men.