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Philadelphia fire fighter dies in building collapse after a fire; five people rescued, US
A pizzeria collapsed in Philadelphia in the US early on Saturday morning, 18 June 2022, killing one fire fighter and injuring four other fire fighters and a city building official, the Philadelphia Fire Department said. The building collapsed shortly before 03h30am, following a fire call that came in a little before 02h00am, according to Craig Murphy, a deputy commissioner of the Fire Department.
The building housed Star Pizza Fish and Chicken, in the Fairhill section of North Philadelphia, a predominantly Hispanic neighbourhood about three miles north of downtown that is dominated by two- and three-storey rowhouses. During the response to the fire, eight occupants of the building were safely evacuated, according to a statement released by the office of Mayor Jim Kenney. One fire fighter had jumped from the building to escape, Deputy commissioner Murphy said. Four people, three fire fighters and Thomas Rybakowski, a supervisor with the city’s Department of Licenses and Inspections, were initially trapped but quickly rescued, the mayor’s office said. Two other fire fighters, Lieutenant Williamson and Fire fighter Brennan, were trapped under debris and fire fighters began a search and rescue operation. At about 07h00am, they were removed from the rubble, the mayor’s office said. Lieutenant Williamson was pronounced dead at the scene and Brennan was rushed to Temple Hospital. During rescue efforts, rescuers had "dialogue" with those trapped, including tapping on the debris "so somebody could know that somebody was in there," Deputy commissioner Murphy said. The collapse occurred after the fire was under control, when fire fighters were looking for any hidden fires and Rybakowski was assessing the building, Adam K Thiel, commissioner of the Philadelphia Fire Department, said. The building was last inspected in June 2020 and since that time there had been no inspections or complaints, city officials said. The collapse came “with almost no warning,” Commissioner Thiel said. Although it was unclear exactly what had caused the structure to fall, Murphy said that “the building was affected by fire.” Identified The fire fighter killed was identified as Lt Sean Williamson, 51, a 27-year veteran who had been assigned to Ladder 18 in the Hunting Park section of the city, the mayor’s office said. The five who were injured were Lt Sylvester Burton, a fire marshal; Lt Clarence Johnson; the fire fighters Dennis Daly and Robert Brennan Jr and Thomas Rybakowski, a supervisor with the city’s Department of Licenses and Inspections. Rybakowski, Lieutenant Johnson and Lieutenant Burton were treated and released. Fire fighters Brennan and Daly were in critical but stable condition at Temple University Hospital, the mayor’s office said. Lieutenant Williamson, a former Marine, is survived by his mother and son, the mayor’s office said. “I’m not done crying,” Commissioner Thiel said at the news conference. Earlier on Saturday, after everyone had been removed from the building, the scene was busy with police officers, fire fighters and officials from Philadelphia Gas Works and the Department of Licenses and Inspections. Workers were beginning to load debris into trucks but the intersection of Third Street and West Indiana Avenue remained blocked by rubble. The agencies responding included the Philadelphia Office of Emergency Management, the energy company PECO and the American Red Cross. The Philadelphia Fire Department’s Fire Marshal’s Office is conducting a routine investigation into the cause of the fire, according to a statement released Saturday. Lieutenant Williamson is believed to be the first Philadelphia fire fighter to die in the line of duty since January 2018, when Lt Matthew LeTourneau was killed in a fire and building collapse. Mayor Kenney, said in a statement that all city flags would be flown at half-staff for 30 days in honour of Lieutenant Williamson. “This is a heart-breaking day for our city,” he said. Source: The New York Times |
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