PHILADELPHIA (MyFoxPhilly.com) – Officials identify two Philadelphia firefighters killed in the line of duty while battling a warehouse fire in Kensington that spread to a next-door business and six nearby homes.
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The fallen firefighters were identified byt he department as Lt. Robert Neary, 60, and Firefighter Daniel Sweeney, 25, both of the department’s Ladder 10 station.
The initial fire Monday in an abandoned, six-story hosiery warehouse at York and Jasper streets broke out at 3:13 a.m. It went to five alarms, collapsed some walls and was placed under control after a little more than two hours.
But 29 minutes later, five firefighters were battling an extension of flames into an adjoining furniture business when they became trapped in a collapse.
It was a rear wall along Boston Street that collapsed, according to Deputy Chief Ernest Hargett, who said that part of the building may have been one story but the damage made it hard to tell.
Asked how long it took to get the trapped firefighters out, Hargett said, “It took over a period of a couple of hours. And we had to actually, our people had to do some digging.”
One of the firefighters was able to get himself out, but Hargett said to get the others out crews had to use their hands and all kinds of equipment to remove bricks, wood and roofing. At times the crews had to stop and listen for the trapped firefighters or their equipment.
Speaking later outside Temple University Hospital, Fire Commissioner Lloyd Ayers said, “Right now, we’re asking for prayers for the families. We’re asking for everybody to be supportive. We’re asking that you respect the firefighters, their families, their lives.”
As for the three injured firefighters, Ayers said one was being admitted to the hospital and two others were still undergoing evaluation.
Crews were first called out for a rubbish fire at the old warehouse, which is located near the York stop on SEPTA’s Market-Frankford Elevated Line. But they encountered heavy flames, struck a second alarm and soon escalated the fire call to five alarms.
By the time “Good Day” went on the air at 4:25 a.m., the fire had burned its way through the warehouse and collapsed at least two of that building’s walls. Stiff winds were blowing embers onto surrounding homes.
Evacuees from the surrounding neighborhood were sent to a church at Jasper and Cumberland streets.
There was no immediate word on any possible cause for the blaze.
Neighbors said the factory has been closed for almost 20 years.
About 370 customers were without power in the area at 8:45 a.m., down slightly from a high of 400 customers.
There are also numerous street closures in the area as a result of the fire and the ongoing investigation.
Ayers said the last time the Philadelphia Fire Dept. lost multiple firefighters at one scene was when two died on Belgrade Street in August 2004. There’s actually a plaque dedication for those fallen heroes scheduled for next week.
The department’s last line of duty death was in 2006.
Ayers added, “We’ve been in with the families. The families are inside. We’re supporting them with everything that they need right now. This is absolutely a tragedy. No one wants to lose anyone. You’ll see the firefighters with this band around their arm they were all the time. It’s from the National Fallen Firefighters Association, and it says , ‘Everyone goes home.’ … That’s what we look for each and every time.”
Mayor Michael Nutter was in Florida giving a keynote address at the Annual Mayor’s Summit on Race, Culture and Human Relations.
In a statement issued later on Monday morning, Nutter said, “These firefighters made the ultimate sacrifice for the people of Philadelphia. This is a tremendous loss for their families and the City of Philadelphia.”
Nutter said his thoughts go out to their families, members of the department who have lost two of their “brothers,” as well as the those who were injured and their families.
“Our first responders – our fire fighters, police officers and paramedics – are heroes and make unimaginable sacrifices each and every day for the citizens of Philadelphia,” the mayor said.” I would like to thank them for their service and our hearts go out to those who have lost their colleagues and friends.”
The release says Nutter will call in to a media briefing scheduled for 12:30 p.m.
