Post on 16-Jan-2016
Maryland FF Fatality
October 10, 2006
Investigation
NIOSH General Engineer NIOSH Occupational Safety & Health
Specialist Fire Department Safety Chief City Arson Officers Union Representatives
Examination and Review
Victim’s PPE, SCBA and PASS Scene Photographs Interviews with on scene personnel Review of Standard Operating
Guidelines Arson Investigator’s Report Officer and Victim’s Training Records
Examination and Review
Witness Statements Dispatch transcriptions Coroner’s report Amateur Video of the incident
Incident Information
October 10, 2006 0222 hours Residential 2-story row house on a
basement Possible parties trapped
Apparatus Assigned
Battalion Chief 1 – 0225 hours E41 – 4 personnel – 0225 hours M20 – 2 personnel – 0225 hours Squad 11 – 4 personnel – 0226 hours Truck 20 – 4 personnel – 0226 hours E51 – 4 personnel – 0227 hours Truck 3 – 4 personnel - 0227
Apparatus Assigned
E5 – 4 personnel – 0228 hours Battalion Chief 2 – 0228 hours Medic 10 – 2 personnel – 0232 E50 – 4 personnel – 0237
28 personnel within 6 minutes 34 personnel within 15 minutes
Incident Timeline
0222 hours dispatch
0225- B1, E41, Sq11 on sceneB1 did drive-around, row house, middle of
block, heavy black smoke.
1 citizen jumper and 1 walking wounded
Incident Timeline
E41 – water supply E41-C & D with Sq 11-D advanced 1
3/4” hand line for an interior attack E41-A – Entered and requested
ventilation S11-A & C – Gearing up
Incident Timeline
0228 hours – B2 assigned side C Truck 3, E5 and E51 all to C side
Heavily involved basement fire moving to 1st and 2nd floor on C side
0231 hours – numerous electrical lines C side, IC request 2nd alarm and utility co
Truck 20 to roof for ventilation and ground ladder to 2nd floor side “A”
Incident Timeline
E41-C to top of stairs, E41-D and Sq11-D at base of stairs with hand line
No fire visible from interior attack team No apparent impingement to front of
structure Some skylights opened by Truck 20,
some already venting
Incident Timeline
0231 – Crew learned fire originated in basement and advised to back out
0232 – Conditions rapidly worsened, E41-C down stairs past E41-D landing on top of Sq11-D against metal front door
Hose line pinched in door with door closed
IC requested RIT (not established)
Incident Timeline
E41-A and other FF’s that had just exited began to force and remove door
0232 hours E41-D and Sq11-D removed from structure with severe burns
0235 hours door removed E41-C removed, SCBA mask off and hood missing
CPR immediately started 13 minutes from dispatch time to CPR
PPE Findings
Witnesses state upon entry victim had face piece on, clicked in and gloves on.
During Incident: cylinder valve shut off, right glove missing, mask dislodged, hood missing (unknown if on in beginning)
Side A
Side B
Recommendations
Ensure TIC’s are used in size up for information to locate seat of fire
Ensure ventilation is in coordination with fire attack. When and Where ?
Ensure exits are not blocked by inadvertent closing doors (wedges)
Recommendations
RIT teams should be available “Many firefighters who die from smoke
inhalation, from a flashover, or from being trapped by fire actually become disoriented first. They are lost in smoke and their SCBA’s run out of air, or they cannot find their way out through the smoke, become trapped, and then fire or smoke kills them. The primary contributing factor, however, is disorientation.”
Recommendations
Fire departments should ensure that department policies and procedures are followed. “Every department member should have a
copy of or easy access to SOP’s, and each member should sign a statement indicating that he/she has read, understands, and agrees to abide by them.”
Questions & Thoughts