Tactics Paper for Firefighter Death

Victims - 39 y/o male Lieutenant

39 y/o male firefighter

*assignment - initial entry crew searching for the

fire and possible entrapment of the store manager

were operating handline/ back of the store on fire

above suspended ceiling

*what? - Truck company pulling ceilings looking for

extension and possible back draft explosion occurred

in the void space above the ceiling tiles

Victim 1 Lt. - ordered everyone to back out due to

intense heat - same time roof system began to fail

sending debris down on top of firefighters

Victim 1 and 2 - got separated and disoriented

* Removal - victim 2 was removed within minutes and

transported to local hospital

Victim 1 was removed 1 1/2 hours later

*Results - both Lt. and firefighter died

*Training - Lt. 11 yrs of experience firefighter level

III, haz-mat, forcible entry, f/f survival, emt,

strategy and tactics

f/f 18 yrs of experience firefighter level III,

haz-mat, forcible entry, f/f survival, emt, strategy

and tactics

*Equipment - Eng. 31 - 4 people including victim 1 and

2 (1st IC - Lt.)

Eng. 26 - 4 people

Truck 11 - 4 people

Eng. 27 - 4 people

Truck 6 - 4 including tiller man

Batt. Chief 2 - 2nd IC

Batt. Chief 11 - C-D corner/sector command

Rescue 2 - 4 people

Division 1 - final IC

*Building Info - Type II, non-combustible

8,925 sq ft of space, 6,670 sq ft was retail space

No sprinkler system

Exterior walls constructed of 12-inch masonry blocks

with 4-hour fire rating

New roof installed in April 10, 2001 Ð'- hot asphalt

over a Ð'Ñ* inch fiberboard membrane

The store was sectioned into two parts by a block wall

with a man door for access between the two. The front

section was for retail operations and consisted of a

suspended ceiling which covered the bottom of the roof

trusses. The discount mercantile operation in the

front section contained merchandise ranging from

automotive supplies to clothing. The rear section was

used for storage and also consisted of a separate

office space. The steel bar joists were open in the

rear storage section, which shared the void space in

the front created by the suspended ceiling.

INVESTIGATION

On June 15, 2003, a 39-year-old male career Lieutenant

(Victim #1) and a 39-year-old male career fire fighter

(Victim #2) died while trying to exit a commercial

structure following a partial roof collapse. At

approximately 1945 hours, Central Dispatch eceived a

call of a structure fire in a commercial occupancy

with a possible entrapment and dispatched the first

alarm assignments. Engine 31 (E31) was the first to

arrive on the scene at 1950 hours and radioed Central

Dispatch to report light smoke showing from the roof

and in the building. The Lieutenant from E31 (Victim

#1) assumed incident command (IC). The driver/operator

from E31 began forcing the front door while the crew

prepared to enter the store. Engine 26 (E26) and Truck

11 (T11) arrived on the scene at 1951 hours. Engine 26

began laying a 5-inch supply line from a hydrant to

Engine 31. Truck 11 was ordered to the roof to

investigate the air conditioning unit for a possible

malfunction. Engine 27 (E27) arrived on the scene at

1952 hours and began assisting E31. Truck 6 (T6)

arrived on the scene at 1953 hours and began forcing

the door at the rear of the building, C-side (Diagram

1).

The IC (Victim #1) and the Lieutenant from E26 (Lt.

26) entered the building to investigate and search for

the fire. Light smoke allowed the officers to see to

the back of the store which was approximately 100 feet

long. Victim #1 and Lt. 26 proceeded to the rear

without donning their air masks. There was no visible

fire in the store. Victim #1 and Lt. 26 entered the

storeroom in the rear (Diagram 2) to search for the

fire. The smoke conditions in the storeroom were

heavier, but did not require the officers to don their

air