Lacayo is a firefighter/paramedic. The two medics were from Engine 14; Lt. Butrim was from Truck 23. FF John McMaster is in critical but stable condition.
This is tough to listen too. I was an officer on Engine Lucky 13 on a department where we have so many of these death traps and then Batt.Chiefs that would send firefighters into these death traps without setting foot on the fireground while enroute.. We had so many close calls that on this one call that came down on a frigid night around 03:30 hours and with supposed entrapment. Being 2 blocks away we arrived first on scene, I did the size up on arrival, reported heavy fire in the middle unit of a 12 unit abandoned rowhouse with heavy fire showing all 3 floors with plug directly across from fire building blocked by a burned out vehicle and buried in trash, gave my people their starting orders and did my 360 which showed worse conditions in the Charlie section with the walls starting to bow. I then radioed dispatch that we would fight this one defensively and went to a second and then third alarm. Having been to this building multiple times before with the same reports of squatters sometimes using the buildings, never located any, I faced having to send in a search team or keeping my people safe. By the time I got back to the Alpha side a Batt Chief was on the air demanding a search be made which fell on the ladder truck that arrived less than 2 minutes after we did. From the start it was nothing but trouble starting with a blocked plug, then a mayday from the search team when a member fell thru the floor then a low pressure issue on the plug of the engine that came in and laid in from the plug a block away. I ordered everyone out of the buildings and then ordered all master blasters(deck guns) to open up. Again the Batt Chief demanded a search and I refused. I asked his location and his response was he was still 17 minutes out(he was at home). After the threats of disobeying a direct order to start with a different Division Chief arrived on scene and took over command, upgraded to a 4th alarm and ordered a collapse zone set up and defensive attack only due to a roof collapse and the rapid spread of the fire to 4 units. Anyway these are death traps. You knock the fire down and suddenly it is behind you again blasting thru the attics and walls. Forget the supposed fire breaks, you would have installers go into the attics and cut thru the breaks making them useless but I was brought up on 9 charges and faced dismissal. Even though I beat all charges I lost faith in my commanders. They wanted the glory of making a save of a condemed building and their names in the paper. On the other hand I wanted to make sure my people as well as those of the other units all went home safe and uninjured after every shift. That department lost many brave firefighters since they were formed and they still have many brave firefighters who want to do the right thing. There is no reason to send firefighters into these buildings that have been boarded up for years. Until they have commanders that put their people over property there will be loses. Chicago has the right idea of keeping a running chart of building that are defensive fights only but until the building codes and laws change you will continue to have these death traps in places like Harrisburg, Allentown, Baltimore, Newark, Elizabeth just to name a few. Sorry this is so long.
the female voice you here in the beginning reporting for engine 14 is Kelce I also believe that is her adjusting her mask notice her helmet on the bumper that is the door on e 14 where she would have gotten out and I also believe that is Kenny holding the hose and john putting his mask on or it's vice versa that is an awesome picture look at that building and they went in without hesitation R.I.P ALL 3 and godspeed recovery for JOHN Mc MASTER
does anyone know in which order the FF's were removed from the building. One was pulled rather quick but it took a very long time for the last one. Very sad situation.
1st was just said to be pulled out “immediately” Next 2 took about a hour. Reported one was conscious but badly pinned below the waist. Both taken to shock trauma pronounced at hospital. 4th took 10 hours pronounced on scene.
Why are the senior fire officers still send fire crews in already dangerous building let alone abandoned buildings or no entrapments.mostly in america the hero hero mindset and so-called best firefighter is the problem these people have families also.
@@DaMeng3000 Just curious because of your comment. Most firefighters know that a report of entrapment in these buildings are usually false and reported by the arsonist and yes if there is no power to the building, no gas and no way for a fire to start by a utility defect or occupant accident then it is arson. They also have no problem answering the question I asked you. The comment where you replied "NICE TRY SUPERHERO" is true in many cases. Seems like some Command officers want the name in the paper hero status and jump in front of the camera any chance they have.That is why I retired from the BIG CITY department I was on.I had the best interest of the lives of my people and the duty to protect them the best that I was able while the Command officers came and went looking at saving a building that had already burned multiple times and already had injuries and worse. If you ever get a chance to talk to a firefighter in areas where there are many of these buildings as how their command officers act . While many departments have pulled the wanna be superstars from the fire line there are still some out there giving a bad name to the command officers who give a damn and care about their firefighters no matter if they are career or volly. In many cases the Engine/Truck officer decides on where to protect their people in cases of fires such as this one until a higher up comes on scene but when you have officers assuming command and are not yet on the fireground it is a hugh problem.
@@georgemessler3345 Not sure where you fought fire my friend, but if you had that mindset of immediately assuming a reported trapped person was false, then I’m glad you’re out of the fire service.
