One shift — three 2nd-alarms; Video of flashover that burned Texas ffs; Jacksonville explosion; Texas chief called insensitive & callous
Video of flashover that burned Texas firefighter
A lot of concerns about staffing in Beaumont, Texas after the fire earlier this week that injured 6 firefighters. Click the image above to see the video of the flashover that left Firefighter Cody Schroeder with burns over 40 percent of his body. Click here to see Deputy Fire Chief Jeff McNeel explain the video.
Three deuces
Not sure if it is a winning hand, but in a period of 12 hours, in a slice of downtown Washington about one mile from east to west, and one-half mile north to south, there were three 2-alarm fires on Wednesday. The first received international attention when fire broke out just after 9:30 AM at the Old Executive Office Building next to The White House. STATter 911 has learned that firefighters were given conflicting information from the 911 center about the location of this fire. Click here to read details and see pictures and raw video of the fire and a visit from President Bush and Vice President Cheney.
Second-alarm number two occurred just after 5:30 PM at an approximately 9-story apartment building under construction in the 1200 block of 13th Street, NW. The fire apparently spread up the outside of the building to the 6th floor. The picture above from DC Fire & EMS photographer Vito Maggiolo.
The third extra-alarm was called shortly after 9:30 PM at the Red Roof Inn near 6th and H Streets, NW. The picture above is also from Vito. Go to DCFD.com to see more pictures and read Vito’s accounts of the fires.
Four dead in Jacksonville explosion
Federal investigators will be looking at the deadly chemical explosion and fire Wednesday in Jacksonville, Fl. Our sister station WTLV-TV has numerous videos. Click here for WTLV’s photo gallery. Here are excerpts from their lead story:
Four people were killed Wednesday in a fiery explosion at a chemical plant near New Berlin and Faye Road. Fourteen people were hospitalized.
It was not clear what caused the explosion about 1:30 p.m. at the T2 Laboratories Inc. plant, which makes chemical solvents and fuel additives, said Tom Francis, a fire rescue spokesman.
The explosion sent flames and smoke billowing into the air. Six people were initially missing, but are now accounted for.
Fire officials initially ordered a precautionary evacuation within a half-mile of the plant. But the order was lifted just after 4 p.m. when firefighters determined that the level of toxicity in the air was no greater than an average house fire, Francis said.
San Antonio chief’s remarks called “insensitive and callous”
That’s the headline from WOIA.com’s coverage of the woman declared dead who wasn’t. The outcry is over this remark by Fire Chief Charles Hood at a press conference on Monday: “There’s nothing to apologize for. We weren’t driving the vehicle that hit that car.”
Read and watch the story, here.
Fatal fire in PA
Video from Tuesday’s fatal fire in Abington, PA. An 87-year-old woman died after becoming trapped on the second floor of this home. Read the story, here.
Fire in Alaska
The fire is right across the street from the Chugiak Fire Department, but that didn’t help. The fire destroyed an apartment building and an attached school bus barn. Read the details.
GA apartment fire
Fire destroyed an apartment building in DeKalb County Wednesday night. Watch the video. Look at a photo gallery.
