OSHA report highlights problems in Bethalto fire
FirefighterNation Staff
BETHALTO, Illinois — A report from the Illinois Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) details failures by both 911 operators and leaders on the fireground during a March house fire that killed Godfrey Fire Captain Jake Ringering and injured three firefighters.
FirefighterNation: Illinois Fire Captain Killed
According to the OSHA report Captain Ringering and others were working on the side of the home cutting to gain access into a walkout garage when they were caught in a collapse. Communication problems are also noted to have contributed to problems at the fire.
KSDK reports that 911 operators failed to notify responding firefighters that all the residents were reported to be out of the home. They also failed to tell firefighters that the house was a hoarder home.
Madison County 911 operators were told everyone was out but none of the firefighters could remember being told.
KSDK also reports that the 911 operators knew the house was classified as a hoarder house but did not relay that information to firefighters.
KSDK: OSHA report: 911 operators failed to tell first responders that everyone was out of house in fire that killed Capt. Ringering
The Telegraph in their report on the findings state that chief officers on the fireground failed to do a 360-degree size-up. They also highlight that each of the four departments that responded to the fire maintained their own accountability.
The Telegraph goes on to state that the chief officers failed to have a unified command post with unified tasks, as the OSHA report determined through interviews.
Cottage Hills Fire Protection District Chief Steven Quertermouse was the first to arrive and di not do a 360-degree size-up.
Bethalto Fire Chief Alex Campbell arrived and only sized-up the B and C sides of the structure.
Fosterburg Fire Protection District Chief John Holtorf was handling engineer duties while training a probationary firefighter.
District Chief Holtorf was taken further away from command duties when he addressed a drop in the water pressure from the hydrant and not knowing if the problem could be fixed began requesting tenders respond to the fire.
The OSHA report determined that the hydrant was not fully opened and needed five more turns to operate properly.
The report goes on the state that when the garage door was cut Captain Ringering used a thermal imaging camera to find hotspots while others operated a hoseline.
It was during this that the gable wall collapsed.
The Telegraph states that OSHA investigators found that entering through the garage door was a greater risk than necessary for the task that incident command had allowed and that by the time entry was made the house, with all occupants out, was a total loss.
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