As fire ravaged her Red Bird-area apartment early Sunday, Kimberly Butler struggled through smoke and flames to save her four young children.
She got Joshua Picot, 7, and Jamerie Picot, 2, out safely and told them to wait while she went back in for the other two, Joshay Picot, 7, and Jeremiah Butler, 4.
But it wasn’t until she got the other two out that she realized Jamerie had followed her back inside.
“I went back inside to save her, but it was too late,” said Ms. Butler, who moved to Dallas from New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina.
Firefighters found Jamerie dead in the master bathroom, hiding from the fire.
Her death was an accident, caused by smoke inhalation and thermal burns, according to the Dallas County medical examiner.
Dallas Fire-Rescue officials said the cause of the fire at the Cedar Ridge apartments near Interstate 20 and Highway 67 is still under investigation. About a dozen other residents were displaced.
Ms. Butler said she believes one of her children may have set the couch on fire trying to light a candle while she was in the bathroom.
About 1 a.m., one of her children pounded on the bathroom door of the apartment, in the 3900 block of Gannon Lane, to tell her the couch was in flames, she said.
Outside minutes later, after Ms. Butler realized her daughter was back inside the engulfed building, she turned to neighbors for help, some of them said Sunday.
Neighbor Sandra Jones said she was at a club down the street when her mother called to tell her what was going on.
“Police were frantic and all the neighbors were trying to get to the baby, but they couldn’t find her,” Ms. Jones said. “The smoke was too thick, and the heat was too intense.”
BOSTON, March 25, 2008—Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley today released the following statement upon the completion of the investigation into the Aug. 29, 2007, deaths of Firefighter Paul J. Cahill and Firefighter Warren J. Payne in West Roxbury:
“On Aug. 29, 2007, Boston Firefighters Warren J. Payne and Paul J. Cahill were killed while fighting a fire at the Tai Ho Mandarin and Cantonese Restaurant in West Roxbury. As with all unnatural or unattended deaths within the City of Boston, the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office, in conjunction with homicide detectives from the Boston Police Department, began an investigation into these deaths to determine whether any crime was committed. After a complete and thorough review of all of the evidence, I have determined that there is no basis for criminal charges to issue.
“In addition, I have authorized the release of the contents of our entire investigative file, including autopsy and toxicology results, to Boston Fire Commissioner Roderick J. Fraser, Jr. and the Boston Fire Department’s Board of Inquiry should they
wish to review it in the course of their own investigation.
“As in every death investigation, our legal obligation in this case was specifically to determine whether any crime was committed: that is, whether any action by any individual or individuals rose to the level of wanton and reckless conduct, causing the deaths of these two firefighters. The question of the presence of alcohol and/or other intoxicating substances was considered along with all other evidence and in no way changes our determination that there are no criminal charges to attach to the deaths of these firefighters.
“Firefighters Warren Payne and Paul Cahill went into a dangerous fire – an inherently deadly environment – fully aware of the risks. They gave their lives in the line of duty to protect the lives and property of strangers. Nothing in our investigation has produced any evidence that diminishes the magnitude of their sacrifice or the heroism of their actions.â€
WestCoast911.com - Press release information taken from the IAFF websiteÂ
Learning objective: The student shall be able to explain the need and method for bonding flammable
liquid vessels.
When volatile Class I flammable liquids are poured or dispensed through air, they accumulate a static charge that—under certain conditions—can ignite the liquid with catastrophic results. This static accumulation is the result of differences in electrical potential between the dispensing and the receiving vessels.
To equalize the electrical potential and remove the risk of static discharge, the two vessels should be bonded together when the liquid is transferred. Generally, this is done with a bonding cable similar to the one in the photograph.
Bonding cables must be durable and of low electrical resistance. Bonding conductor connections must be direct and positive. For portable equipment, uninsulated copper or stainless steel aviation-type flexible cable and single-point clamps like the one pictured should be used. These clamps will make contact with metal surfaces through most paint, rust, and surface contaminants. The single-point clamps are superior to the battery-type and “alligatorâ€-type clamps for making direct contact.
Permanent connections can be made by using solid or braided wires, and must incorporate screw-type clamps, welded connections, or other similar means. Temporary connections should use only braided wires in conjunction with spring clamps, magnetic clamps or other similar methods of maintaining metal-to-metal contact.
Single conductor solid wires should be used only for permanent connections, or those that will not be handled often, because solid wire is not known for its durability. Braided wires consist of several strands of wire wrapped together to provide greater strength and flexibility.
raided wires are recommended for use with temporary connections because of their flexibility and strength.
Some common examples of Class I liquids include alcohol, toluene, acetone, and benzene. Their flashpoints can be found on the product Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) from the manufacturer or distributor.
On Wednesday, March 26, 2008 at 1:57 PM Los Angeles Firefighters were summoned to investigate a “smell of smoke” inside an office supply store at 8540 South Sepulveda Boulevard in the Westchester area of Los Angeles - not far from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).
LAFD Engine 5 arrived at 2:03 pm and reported an underground electrical vault explosion in front of the location, and that they would handle the situation.
At 2:16 PM, Engine 5 reported a second underground electrical vault explosion and requested additional Fire Department resources for the new incident at 8800 South Sepulveda Boulevard.
At 2:23 pm, Los Angeles Fire Department dispatchers received a telephone call reporting a structure fire at the site of the second explosion.
Engine 5, already on scene at the 8800 South Sepulveda Boulevard location, initially reported no evidence of fire. One minute later, they reported fire in a locked room, and to keep all resources responding.
Engine 95 arrived soon thereafter to investigate the source of the smoke in the locked room, an approximately 7 foot wide by 4 foot deep electrical/storage closet on the southeast, first floor corner of the two story structure.
As the Engine 95 crew sought to access the locked room, containing electric utility meters for the building, a severe explosion occurred, causing injury to two Firefighters and one civilian.
Firefighter Brent A. Lovrien, age 35, a 10 year veteran of the LAFD assigned to the ‘A’ Platoon at Fire Station 95 since October 2005, died shortly after arrival at the Centinela Freeman Regional Medical Center, Marina Campus.
Engineer Anthony J. Guzman, age 48, an 18 year veteran of the LAFD assigned to the ‘A’ Platoon at Fire Station 95 since February 2002, suffered multiple fractures and facial trauma. He was transported to the UCLA Medical Center in Westwood, and following surgery, was listed in serious but stable condition.
The civilian was treated at the scene and released.
As dictated by Fire Department policy, a formal and detailed multi-agency investigation has sought to determine the exact nature of the explosion, as well as the precise cause and manner of Firefighter Lovrien’s death.
The following is a statement by LAFD Battalion Chief John Miller:
“Based on our investigation, which included physical examination, numerous interviews, and the collection of physical evidence, has determined that the explosion at 8800 S. Sepulveda was the result of a fire that originated in the electrical vault located at the intersection of Sepulveda and La Tijera.
Various witnesses reported smelling odors as early as 10:00 am. It is our opinion that the fire was a result of a ground fault in an electrical conduit that was feed out of the underground vault. This ground fault resulted in a fire within the vault, which pressurized the vault with unburned products of combustion. This material, traveled through the conduit transmission corridors, approximately 250 feet that caused the initial explosion at the underground electrical vault located in front of Staples. Witnesses report the access cover of the vault traveling upwards of 20 feet in the air.
The resulting pressure from this explosion causes smoke to travel back down the corridors to the electrical vault at Sepulveda and La Tijera. During this time, smoke is traveling in all directions and follows the underground electrical conduit to the electrical room at 8800 Sepulveda. This combustible smoke accumulated in the confined area of the electrical room. When Firefighter Lovrien attempted entry into the room, a spark was generated when the composite blade of the rotary saw struck the locking mechanism of the door.
There was no evidence of any fire, electrical problem, natural gas leak or incendiary devices found in the room. Investigators have concluded that unburned combustible gases, from a fire in the electrical vault located in the street at the front of the building, accumulated in the electrical room. These products of combustion reached its explosive limit and was ignited by a spark from the forcible entry attempts.”
Source: LAFD.org
Westcoast 911 -Â Our deepest sympathiy goes out to the families of these two firefighters and the LAFD
A fire in an aging high-voltage cable caused a series of blasts and led to the death of a firefighter as he investigated the explosions, city authorities said Friday. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa called it a freak accident and focused attention on the electrical infrastructure of the nation’s second-largest city. The cable was about 60 years old.
The blasts, which blew covers off of manholes, also badly injured a fire engineer and damaged a credit union building.
Firefighter Brent A. Lovrien, 35, was killed when he turned on a power saw to cut through the metal door of a utility room that had filled with smoke from the cable fire. The saw ignited gases that had built up in the room, triggering the blast that killed him, authorities said.
The initial fire started in a 240-volt underground cable below a busy corridor near Los Angeles International Airport, said Battalion Chief John Miller, head of the Fire Department’s arson and anti-terrorism section. Witnesses reported smelling smoke in the area four hours before the explosions.
Smoke from the fire built pressure which led to an explosion that blew a manhole cover near an office supply store, Miller said. Witnesses reported seeing the cover fly more than 20 feet.
The smoke traveled half a block to the Water and Power Community Credit Union building where it created a second explosion on a street corner, leaving another manhole cover slightly ajar. As firefighters were investigating the second explosion they received reports of smoke coming from the utility room at the rear of the building.
The high-voltage copper cable in a conduit made of lead was degraded, said David Nahai, chief executive officer and general manager of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power.
He said the tragedy was a reminder that the city needs to aggressively replace old cables with modern ones that have synthetic coverings.
“The infrastructure is starting to show its years and we have to move forward to replace it as fast as we can,” he said.
The cause of the cable fire remains under investigation, but Nahai said it was possible there was an “overloading on the copper.”
Fire Engineer Anthony J. Guzman, 48, was in serious but stable condition after surgery, Fire Chief Douglas Barry said.
Four aircraft, three vehicles and various equipment were damaged today when a hangar at the Lincoln Airport caught fire, the Lincoln Fire Department reported. Numerous fire agencies responded to the 11 a.m. blaze, which caused an estimated $2 million in damage, said Fire Chief David Whitt. No injuries were reported, he said.
The chief said police responded to a burglar alarm at Atkin Air, an aviation service at the airport, and discovered a large amount of smoke coming from the hangar.
The fire departments of Lincoln, Roseville, Rocklin and Cal Fire were called in to battle the blaze, Whitt said.
He said firefighters quickly extinguished the blaze but that heat and smoke caused extensive damage to the aircraft, vehicles and equipment, which included aircraft parts, tools and electrical items.
The building did not have overhead sprinklers nor did it have a fire alarm, Whitt said in a news release.
He said the cause of the blaze is undetermined but that a vehicle fire cannot be ruled out as a possible source.
Source: Sacramento Bee
westcoast911.com - Sounds like it was a well coordinated effort by these west coast firefighters
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced today the thirty-fourth round of Fiscal Year (FY) 2007 Assistance to Firefighters Grants, awarding 4 grants totaling over $950,000 to fire departments throughout the United States.
Beecher Falls Volunteer Fire Department - $152,000
Ladysmith Fire Department - $721,000
Nevins Township Fire Department - $68,875
Plymouth Township Vol.Fire Company # 1 - $8,500
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced on March 28th awards for the Fiscal Year 2007 Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response Grant (SAFER) awarding 23 grants to fire departments in the United States.
Brentwood Fire District
CIty of Milton Department of Public Safety
Custer Area Vol. Fire & Rescue Inc.
Doyle Hose Co.#1
Elysian Fire Departmnent
Farmington Fire Protection District
Grand Chute Fire Department
Green-Fields Volunteer Fire Company
Langhorne-Middletown Fire Company
Lockhart Fire Rescue
Maumelle Fire Department
North Park Fire Protection District
North Washington Fire Protection District
Osage Beach Fire Protection District
Pauls Valley Fire Department
Pend Oreille Fire District #4
Ridgefield Fire Department
Russell Volunteer Fire and Rescue
South Lane County Fire & Rescue District
Spokane County Fire District #13
Thorsby Fire Department
West Boylston Fire Department
Whatcom County Fire District 4
A fire damaged the second-floor deck of Tom Clancy’s home on Saturday, the Maryland fire marshal’s office said. Clancy was home at the time, but was not injured in the noon blaze, fire marshal’s spokesman Joe Zurolo said. “The smoke alarms are what alerted him to the fact there was a fire,” Zurolo said.
The cause of the fire, which caused about $10,000 in damage to the rear of the three-story stone home, has not been determined, Zurolo said.
About 50 firefighters battled the blaze for about 10 minutes before bringing it under control. No injuries were reported, the spokesman said.
Thousands of people are expected to apply to become Toledo firefighters during the next few weeks as the department formally begins its search to hire a fire class for the first time in two years, Chief Mike Wolever said. For the last two months, the fire department has been aggressively recruiting via television, radio, billboards, and - for the first time - on the Internet.Chief Wolever predicts that about 6,000 people will sign up during the application process, which begins today and continues through April 11. The city expects to hire about 25 firefighters.
More than 12,000 interest cards have been filled out during the recruitment campaign, which has been going on for about a year. Those who submitted interest cards need to com-plete a formal application. The combination of a grim economic situation and the appeal of being a firefighter has generated high interest, the chief said, adding that it’s unclear when the department will be able to hire again. Being a firefighter is a job where an employee’s main focus is to help others.
