At Least 7 Firefighters Killed in South Carolina Sofa Store Blaze Updated: 06-19-2007 03:15:28 AM Courtesy of WCBD-TV/Counton2.com
CHARLESTON, S.C. - At least seven firefighters were killed Monday night in a massive blaze at a sofa store and warehouse here. The bodies of four firefighters had been located, and a search was underway for three others, sources said. The Post and Courier quoted Mayor Joe Riley: "There are several Charleston city firefighters missing in this fire." Other local news organizations were reporting the store's roof collapsed and sent debris over about two-dozen rescue workers while spectators were hit with flying ash. Riley called the missing firefighters heroes. "This is a profession that we must never take for granted," the mayor said. "There's a fire raging and they go toward it." There were reports of other firefighters injured as well. A crisis team from the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation was deployed, and were en route to Charleston just after midnight, said Ron Siarnicki, NFFF executive director. "The team will be in Charleston to help the department in any way it can. We're there to support them during this time." Firehouse.com will be updating this story throughout the morning as more details become available. _______________________________________________ Firefighters lost in massive blaze By Nadine Parks The Post and Courier, Charleston, SC Tuesday, June 19, 2007 Two firefighters have been killed and several are missing in a massive blaze that destroyed a West Ashley store Monday night. Mayor Joe Riley held a news conference late in the evening after a fire destroyed the Sofa Super Store and warehouse on Savannah Highway, saying only that several firefighters were missing. The roofs of the business had collapsed and the site was reduced to rubble. After midnight, he told The Associated Press that two had died. Firefighters from St. Andrews, North Charleston, Summerville, James Island and other agencies were on the scene to help in the search. Several firefighters were reported missing Monday night in a blaze that destroyed the Sofa Super Store on Savannah Highway in West Ashley Monday night. "They are in the midst of looking for their fallen firefighters," Riley said. "This is a tragic matter." The firefighters are thought to be from three city of Charleston fire stations. When asked earlier whether any of the missing were presumed dead, Riley would say only that officials are in the process of notifiying families. The Coroner's Office had personnel on the scene but could not be reached for comment. At about 7:45 p.m., the front of the store collapsed and sent a roaring ball of burning debris rolling above about two dozen rescue workers' heads. Hundreds of onlookers were pelted with hot ash. Mark Hilton of Ridgeville said he could feel the sting as a piece of ash went into an eye. He was mesmerized by the sight of the large furniture store and its adjacent warehouse ablaze. "It was like a 30-foot tornado of flames," he said. Riley said he thought all of the store workers made it from the building. At least one was taken to the hospital, he said. At least two other firefighters were injured and taken as well, he said. Their conditions were not known. Daniel Shahid, a salesman at nearby Morris Nissan, said he was working when a firefighter came inside and asked for towels. "The next thing you know, we were carrying hoses, directing traffic - everybody from the dealership," he said. He said he watched as firefighters brought four people out of the building. "They were struggling. They were covered in black soot. They looked scared out of their minds." Officials at the news conference had no answer as to whether a plume of smoke, which could be seen for miles around, was toxic. They would say only that it was a byproduct of the combustible furniture material in the store. The store, at 1807 Savannah Highway, caught fire shortly after 6:30 p.m. About 30 employees work there daily, according to a business spokesman. Sylvester Washington, an employee, had just left. His parents had come inside to look at furniture. They then drove to a nearby neighborhood to look at a house. When they drove back by the store about 15 minutes later and saw the fire, Washington searched the crowd for his co-workers. A frantic Toni Tyrrell arrived about 7:30 p.m. to look for her husband, Jonathan, who was working at the store Monday. She was concerned because he was not answering his cell phone. Washington's father, Chase Sandred, watched as two firefighters leaped through ground-floor windows to escape to safety. "I guess it was just too much for them," he said. Dozens of firefighters from agencies around the region worked late into the night to control the fire. Savannah Highway was blocked by all the equipment. Rain began to fall at about 11 p.m., creating additional smoke during the rescue effort. The cause of the fire is under investigation. Riley referred to the missing firefighters as heroes. "This is a profession that we must never take for granted. There's a fire raging and they go toward it." Reach Nadine Parks at [EMAIL PROTECTED] or 937-5573. _______________________________________________ Sprinklerforum mailing list [email protected] http://lists.firesprinkler.org/mailman/listinfo/sprinklerforum To Unsubscribe, send an email to:[EMAIL PROTECTED] (Put the word unsubscribe in the subject field)
