LODD, 9 SC Firefighters Dead

[IzzyEng4 427]

A fire in a sofa store in West Ashley S. C. approximately at 7 pm collapsed trapping firefighters inside. Firehouse.com is reporting that there area seven confirmed dead and two more are missing. Reports even at this hour are not certain.

With the exception of 9/11, this is the worst number of lives lost at a single fire since Worcester, MA lost six of their own at the old Cold Storage building.

Lets pray for those who have lost their lives and for those injured at this blaze.

Izzy

Links:

Firehouse.com

http://www.wcsc.com/news/state/8062667.html

http://www.abcnews4.com/news/stories/0607/432502.html

http://www.wcbd.com/midatlantic/cbd/home.html

[RescueKujo 130]

News reports here (West Coast 11 P.M.) 2 dead several still missing...

Prayers and condolences for those lost and missing.

[JohnnyOV 2]

reports now state that up to 7 firefighters have passed away in the blaze.

Rest in peace brothers, your heroics will not go forgotten

[bigfitz2004 19]

http://www.wcbd.com/midatlantic/cbd/news.a...06-19-0001.html

Sofa Superstore Fire: Raw Video

it is sad to see firefighter on the fireground not wearing full personal protective Equipment. And see people wearing no personal protective Equipment on the fireground

[firemoose827 324]

Sad. My heart goes out to the brothers, family and friends of those lost.

My prayers go out to the dept., stay strong and stay together.

[ex-commish 490]

My prayers and thoughts go to those who gave the ultimate sacrifice as well as to thier families.

[Guest]

According to CNN this morning 9 FF have been killed. they report that this is conflicting reports but at last word 9 where killed.

Very sad day for fire service. My thoughts and prayers got out to the families and fellow FF's in that area.

[calhobs 110]

'Tornado of flames' kills nine firefighters

POSTED: 7:16 a.m. EDT, June 19, 2007

Story Highlights• NEW: "Nine brave, heroic, courageous firefighters ... have perished," mayor says

• Witness describes "a 30-foot tornado of flames"

• Witnesses: Roof collapsed, throwing debris over about two-dozen rescuers

• Flames forced officials to close off part of nearby roadway

Adjust font size:

CHARLESTON, South Carolina (AP) -- Nine firefighters died in a blaze that swept through a furniture warehouse in a disaster the mayor described Tuesday as "difficult to fathom or quantify."

"Nine brave, heroic, courageous firefighters of the city of Charleston have perished fighting fire in a most courageous and fearless manner, carrying out their duties," Charleston Mayor Joseph P. Riley said at a morning news conference. "To all of their loved ones, our heart goes out to them."

Overnight, firefighters saluted as the bodies of their colleagues were taken from the warehouse.

Riley said the county coroner planned to disclose the names of the dead. He said the cause of the fire was under investigation.

The fire broke out about 7 p.m. Monday in the Sofa Super Store and warehouse, forcing officials to close off part of a nearby roadway.

Witnesses said the store's roof collapsed, throwing debris over about two-dozen rescue workers. Onlookers were hit with flying ash.

"It was like a 30-foot tornado of flames," said Mark Hilton, who was struck in his eye.

Riley said he believed all of the store's employees escaped. At least one worker and two firefighters were taken to the hospital.

Daniel Shahid, a salesman at a nearby car dealership, said firefighters came in asking for towels.

"The next thing you know, we were carrying hoses, directing traffic, everybody from the dealership," he said.

Shahid said he saw firefighters rescue four people from the building. "They were struggling. They were covered in black soot. They looked scared out of their minds," Shahid said.

Riley called the 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."

[Stepjam 118]

My God, what a tragedy. I pray for them and their families.

Never trust the truss.

[capt36 9]

My God, what a tragedy. I pray for them and their families.

Never trust the truss.

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My prayers go out to the members of the Charleston FD and the families of the fallen firfighters.

[ems731 0]

My thoughts and prayers go out to fallen, there families and the member of thier fire house and the community. May they Rest In Peace.

[Guest]

My thoughts and prayers go out to fallen, there families and the member of thier fire house and the community. May they Rest In Peace.

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Rest in Peace my brothers and my prayers to the families and the rest of the Fire Department

[DR104 141]

From firehouse.com.The mayor said "He did not think there were sprinklers in the building." Now if that is true, thats bad codes. With such a large fire load and no sprinklers. Thank god for NY state codes!!!!!!!

R I P. My brothers.

[John107 0]

My prayers go out to the brothers who have passed and the ones who are still missing also to the family and members from the house they were from

Edited June 19, 2007 by John107

[CHIEFPHIL 90]

rest in peace..

[ohbdow1 6]

http://www.wcbd.com/midatlantic/cbd/news.a...06-19-0002.html

This link, with the second person’s description, is very upsetting. Let's not wait for a NIOSH report to come out two to three years later to learn from this. We all know how (for those who actually read the reports) how the report begins and what are the important parts. God rest there souls and keep the families in our prayers and in our hearts and let us all learn from this. On the "Rock" there is a small but powerful sign that reads "Let no man's ghost come back to say there training let them down".

[Monty 35]

Condolences to all the men and women of the Fire Service in Charleston - especially the families of those lost members.

All sorts of thoughts are going through my head at the moment. Obviously the information is sparse at the moment. Though from some of the reports, it does sound like there were several civilian rescues / assist.

[Guest alsfirefighter]

S.C. Warehouse Fire Kills 9 Firefighters

Blaze Engulfs South Carolina Furniture Warehouse, Collapsing Roof and Killing 9 FirefightersThe Associated Press By BRUCE SMITH Associated Press Writer

CHARLESTON, S.C. Jun 19, 2007 (AP)

Fire swept through a furniture warehouse, collapsing the building's roof and claiming the lives of nine firefighters in a disaster the mayor described Tuesday as "difficult to fathom or quantify."

"Nine brave, heroic, courageous firefighters of the city of Charleston have perished fighting fire in a most courageous and fearless manner, carrying out their duties," Charleston Mayor Joseph P. Riley said at a morning news conference. "To all of their loved ones, our heart goes out to them."

Joseph P Jr Riley  Mark Hilton

Two employees in the building were rescued from the blaze, which broke out at about 7 p.m. Monday in the Sofa Super Store and warehouse, Riley said.

Overnight, firefighters, police officers and other rescue workers saluted as the bodies were carried from the warehouse.

"To lose nine is just a tragedy of immense proportions," Riley said. "To lose nine is just unbelievable."

Riley said the county coroner planned to disclose the names of the dead. The cause of the fire was under investigation, but Riley said arson was not suspected.

He said the blaze apparently started in a storage area. He was unsure whether there were sprinklers in the building.

Witnesses said the store's roof collapsed, throwing debris over about two-dozen rescue workers. Onlookers were hit with flying ash.

"It was like a 30-foot tornado of flames," said Mark Hilton, who was struck in his eye.

Daniel Shahid, a salesman at a nearby car dealership, said firefighters came in asking for towels.

"The next thing you know, we were carrying hoses, directing traffic, everybody from the dealership," he said.

Shahid said he saw firefighters rescue four people from the building.

"They were struggling. They were covered in black soot. They looked scared out of their minds," Shahid said.

He later told CNN the roof collapsed too quickly for anyone to escape.

"It came from nowhere," he said. "It was a standing structure and five seconds later it was on the ground."

Riley called the firefighters heroes.

"The next thing you know, we were carrying hoses, directing traffic, everybody from the dealership," he said.

Shahid said he saw firefighters rescue four people from the building.

"They were struggling. They were covered in black soot. They looked scared out of their minds," Shahid said.

He later told CNN the roof collapsed too quickly for anyone to escape.

"It came from nowhere," he said. "It was a standing structure and five seconds later it was on the ground."

Riley called the 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."

On Tuesday morning, flowers were left on the sidewalk in front of the wreckage of the one-story furniture store and its adjacent, slightly taller warehouse, both of which continued to smolder.

The buildings are located on what residents here refer to as the "auto mile," a commercial strip of car dealers, body shops and stereo installers.

Very saddened by this news this morning. My thoughts go to their departments and families. I'm interested in hearing the details of this incident in the near future, particulary if it was lightweight metal bar joists that claimed some of our brothers again.

[Bababoosky 24]

Thoughts and prayers to all those that have perished and the ones they left behind

[Guest]

OMG

Prayers

RIP Brothers

[Mac8146 61]

Rest In Peace Brothers

[bigfitz2004 19]

Rest In Peace Brothers

[Guest]

My thoughts and condolences to the department and the families.

RIP

[RWC130 594]

Hearing 1 LODD is horrible but 9?

Very sad news.

Prayers and thoughts with the Fire Dept, Family, and Friends...

GOD BLESS THE BROTHERS!!!

[mstrang1 213]

RIP Brothers. Have the names been announced yet?

Trusses suck.

[llm60 0]

This is a tradgedy, RIP to the 9 Brothers who lost there lives, Very Very sad

[pv102 0]

My thoughts and prayers go out to those killed or injured and their families, including their brother firefighters

"The soul of man is immortal and imperishable" (Plato-The Republic)

May God protect the souls of those firefighters that perished because they will certainly live on in all of us

[Guest Photounit]

Link to MSNBC picture story that sums things up pretty well....... The facial expressions alone tell the whole story.........

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19310903/displ.../framenumber/1/

Edited June 19, 2007 by Photounit

[Guest]

RIP Brothers.  Have the names been announced yet? 

Trusses suck.

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Nope not yet

[hawkbase 21]

Rip Brothers! What a horrific loss... My prayers go out to the families of those lost!