St. Louis Firefighter Benjamin Polson dies after roof collapse during house fire
Collapse reported to have come during retreat from fire in vacant home on Thursday
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A St. Louis firefighter died while battling a fire Thursday.
The fire department received a call around noon for a fire at a two-story brick building in the 5900 block of Cote Brilliante. Firefighters were able to knock out the fire on the first floor and made their way to the second floor. The fire got too intense and firefighters had decided to get out.
As they were backing out, the roof collapsed, burying two firefighters. One of them was trapped under a “tremendous amount of debris” of heavy timber and bricks and took “the brunt of the collapse to his person.” The firefighter was later identified as Benjamin “Ben” Polson.
It is with profound sadness and grief that we announce the tragic line of duty death of Firefighter Benjamin Polson.
Firefighter Polson died while courageously fighting a house fire in the 5900 block of Cote Brilliante earlier today.
Arrangements will be forthcoming. pic.twitter.com/69p8Uah4iO
— St. Louis Fire Dept (@STLFireDept) January 13, 2022
Photos show a sad scene outside a building fire in north St. Louis when crews learned a @STLFireDept firefighter died after being "buried" by a roof collapse https://t.co/YXuLbAcggW
— KMOX St. Louis News (@kmoxnews) January 13, 2022
St. Louis firefighter was trapped in building fire after roof collapsed https://t.co/nWp6Lfif53 via @kmoxnews
— Megan Lynch (@MLynchOnAir) January 13, 2022
