Two firefighters died battling today's nine-alarm blaze on Beacon Street in the Back Bay this afternoon that sent another 13 to the hospital, fire officials and Mayor Martin J. Walsh announced tonight.
"Today's a sad day for the city of Boston," Walsh said. "We lost two heroes ... these two heroes ran into a burning building and got people out of the burning building."
The firefighters killed were identified as Lt. Edward J. Walsh, 43, of West Roxbury -- a father of three -- and Firefighter Michael R. Kennedy, 33, of Hyde Park, a U.S. Marine veteran who was single.
Firefighter Mike Kennedy, L-15, and Lt. Ed Walsh, E-33. Killed in the line of duty. (Boston Fire Dept. photo.)
Both men were from Engine 33, one of the first two units to respond to the fire at 298 Beacon St. Both men were found in the basement where they were pulled out by their crew members.
Deputy Chief Joseph Finn said tonight at a press conference that the wind was whipping so fast off the Charles River it was like a "blowtorch." He said the crews rescued people off the upper floors as they went into "rescue mode."
"In 30 years I've never seen a fire travel that fast and it was wind-driven off the Charles," he added.
The fire was first reported at 2:45 p.m.
Not long after firefighters were seen pulling a comrade from the building on a stretcher, and pumping on his chest while yelling for an ambulance. Others surrounded the stretcher, appearing to form a wall to shield the injured firefighter from view.
Earlier in the day Boston Fire spokesman Steve MacDonald told reporters at the scene that three firefighters were transported to local hospitals, one in serious condition and two with non-life-threatening injuries.
EMS spokesman Nick Martin said ambulances transported four patients, at least three of whom are firefighters to area hospitals. Two went to Brigham and Women's and two to Massachusetts General Hospital.Martin said two of the victims, all males, were treated for burns.
"Its still an active seen so we are potentially transporting others and evaluating others," he said.
EMS later tweeted that 11 people had been transported to hospitals, but didn't specify how many were firefighters or civilians.
There was heavy smoke coming from the building and four ladder trucks in front of it with their apparatus extended.
Onlookers were stunned by the sight of injured firefighters, and the scale of the fire, with flames shooting from the roof.
Fisher College student Alex Brizer, 19, said, "We saw a firefighter being taken into an ambulance. he didn't look good. It was really scary. These guys are heroes."
Carpenter John Labby, 45, of Haverhill, who was working across the street when the fire started, said, "I never saw anything like that before ... I really didn't want to look. I felt bad for him."
The fire started in the basement and moved up the building, Boston Fire reported.
MacDonald said there were as many as 150 firefighters on the scene. The fire was contained to the building by its fire walls, he said, but firefighters could be working the fire for hours.
The building is an 8,000-square-foot apartment building assessed at %1.6 million, according to city records.
Firefighters were ordered out of the building due to the intense conditions. The multi-family dwelling at 298 Beacon St. overlooks Storrow Drive and the Charles River. Storrow Drive eastbound and several blocks of Beacon Street were closed.
Boston Fire reports the fire is now at nine alarms.
Developing...
Source: http://bostonherald.com/news_opinion/local_coverage/herald_bulldog/2014/03/boston_firefighters_injured_in_beacon_street
No comments:
Post a Comment