Two-Alarm House Fire in Conklin, New York 10.30.2015

(Conklin, NY) A two-alarm house fire broke out Friday evening, two elderly individuals escaped. The Conklin Fire Department responded to a large house fire around 7:30 Friday evening. When they arrived to the scene on Banta Rd. the fire was going strong.

"The front of the house was fully involved when we got on the scene. The home owners were out in the road away from the house by the time crews got onto the scene. This was an old school house, probably one of the oldest buildings in Conklin. With the type of construction, the fire just took off up to the walls in the building. It was pretty much going pretty good by the time our first truck got here," said Bill Gorman, Fire Chief of the Conklin Fire Department.

It’s believed the fire started somewhere near the kitchen, before spreading quickly through the walls and into the attic. The flames were so heavy that firefighters never even made it inside. Fire Chief Bill Gorman said, seven fire departments responded to the incident. He also said that the elderly couple who resided at the home opened a door and noticed fire in the kitchen but they were able to escape. The couple was taken to the hospital for observation but did not sustain any serious injuries. 
   
"I know different families have lived in it, and it means a lot to a lot of them,” Conklin Fire Chief Bill Gorman said. “It's a historic building. Unfortunately, now it's ruined."

The Conklin Fire Department was the main department on scene, but at least five other crews helped out. Firefighters said they may never know what caused the fire because the home will be torn down.

The structure is a total loss. The exact cause of the fire is still under investigation.



(The usual disclaimers: I am not a journalist; This is a blog that expresses an outlook and is not conclusive in any shape or manner.) 

USFA LODD: Texas Firefighter On-Duty Death Notification 10.25.2015

Firefighter Larry O'Neil, 58, on October 25 at 1130hrs was responding to an emergency medical call in a fire department vehicle and had just arrived on-scene when fellow responders noticed that he had become ill. Firefighter O’Neil was removed from the vehicle, provided medical assistance, and transported to a local hospital where he succumbed to a nature and cause of injury still to be reported but thought to be cardiac related.

            

Our condolences to the ONeil Family & Friends, Lone Camp Fire Department, and to all affected by Firefighter Larry O'Neil’s passing.

To date, 71 firefighter fatalities have been reported to USFA in 2015. Year-to-date monthly and annual USFA firefighter fatality reports are posted online at U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) Fatality Notices page. 

(The usual disclaimers: I am not a journalist; This is a blog that expresses an outlook and is not conclusive in any shape or manner.) 

UPDATE: Two-Alarm Johnson City, N.Y., Apartment House Fire, Two Children Died 10.19.2015

UPDATED: (JOHNSON CITY, N.Y.) The Johnson City Fire Department confirmed two children died and two adults were severely burned in a Monday morning fire.   

A 38-year-old man has been charged with murder and arson in connection with a Johnson City fire that killed two children and seriously hurt two adults.

Johnson City Police announced  Dwight Burton of Johnson City is and charged him with intentionally setting the fire and a suspected of setting the blaze that tore through the upper portion of a three-story apartment house early Monday morning.

Police say the children – ages three and four – were trapped in burning building at 145 Floral Avenue. Firefighters managed to get them out and they were taken to Wilson Medical Center, where they were pronounced dead.

Two adult women jumped from the third floor of the apartment house. They were reported in critical condition in a Syracuse hospital burn unit.

(JOHNSON CITY, N.Y.) The Johnson City Fire Department responded to a two-alarm working house fire early Monday morning, arriving on scene shortly before 2 a.m. to find flames shooting through the third floor and two people still trapped. 

Firefighters were called at to 145 Floral Ave. for a reported working house fire. Multiple families live in the home.  

  

The Johnson City fire chief says his team of firefighters got up there and got the children out, but they did suffer serious burns.

Rob Jacyna, Johnson City Fire Chief, said four people were trapped on the third floor. All four were rescued by firefighters and taken to UHS' Wilson Hospital in Johnson City. The extent of the victims' injuries is unknown. 
  

Three other people living inside the building were also able to escape, and they are being helped out by the Red Cross.

The Binghamton Fire Department and Prospect Terrace Fire Departments also responded.  
   

The Johnson City Police Department and troopers with New York State Police were also on scene.  

(The usual disclaimers: I am not a journalist; This is a blog that expresses an outlook and is not conclusive in any shape or manner.) 

Two-Alarm Structure Fire Johnson City, New York 10.15.2015

(Johnson City, NY) A two-alarm fire broke out Thursday evening at 73 Baldwin St. in Johnson City at 06:30 p.m.. The blaze occurred near Wilson Hospital across the street from Brozetti's Pizza.  Five fire departments with their fire crews responded to a structure fire.

   

Heavy smoke billowed from the structure while authorities bustled around the building, fighting to put the fire out. The building was vacant, which slowed fire fighters down as they tried to gain entry. In total, it took two hours for crews to extinguish the blaze. At one point, all crews were ordered to evacuate the building because the fire had crept into the walls.

   

“It was bad inside,” Fire Chief Jacyna said. “It’s an older building so it has balloon construction — the walls have voids — so when the fire was put out in one room it ended up in another room.”

  

Five crews responded-- Johnson City, Vestal, Endicott, Binghamton and Prospect Terrace. Crews worked on the fire for almost two hours.

   

There were no injuries and no confirmed reports of occupants inside, Fire Chief  Jacyna said. 

   

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.   

    

(The usual disclaimers: I am not a journalist; This is a blog that expresses an outlook and is not conclusive in any shape or manner.) 

USFA LODD: New Jersey Fire Police On-Duty Death Notification 10.14.2015

On October 14, 2015 at 0816hrs, Fire Police Officer Gerald "Bear" Celecki, 70, collapsed while directing traffic at an emergency incident. Fire Police Officer Celecki, who was also chief of the Middlesex County Fire P, was treated on-scene by fellow responders and transported to the hospital but succumbed to a nature and cause of fatal injury to be determined  

   

Our condolences to the Celecki Family & Friends, South Amboy Fire Department, and to all affected by Fire Police Officer Gerald "Bear" Celecki’s passing.    

   

To date, 70 firefighter fatalities have been reported to USFA in 2015. Year-to-date monthly and annual USFA firefighter fatality reports are posted online at U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) Fatality Notices page.   

(The usual disclaimers: I am not a journalist; This is a blog that expresses an outlook and is not conclusive in any shape or manner.) 

USFA LODD: Ohio Fire Captain On-Duty Death Notification 10.13.2015

On October 13, 2015 at 0720hrs., Fire Captain Charles "Chuck" Horning, 54, was found deceased, slumped over the steering wheel of a vehicle, approximately eight hours after responding to a fire call with his department. The nature and cause of the fatal injury is still to be determined. 

Our condolences to the Horning Family & Friends, Townsend Township Fire Department, and to all affected by Fire Captain Charles "Chuck" Horning’s passing.   

    

To date, 69 firefighter fatalities have been reported to USFA in 2015. Year-to-date monthly and annual USFA firefighter fatality reports are posted online at U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) Fatality Notices page.

(The usual disclaimers: I am not a journalist; This is a blog that expresses an outlook and is not conclusive in any shape or manner.) 

USAF LODD: Tennessee Fire Lieutenant On-Duty Death Notification 10.07.2015

On October 6, 2015 at 1900hrs., Fire Lieutenant Antonio Smith, 46, fewer then 24 hours after responding to an emergency call with the Memphis Fire Department, was found deceased near his residence inside his personal vehicle. The nature and cause of Lieutenant Smith's fatal injury are still to be reported.
       
Our condolences to the Smith Family & Friends, Memphis Fire Department, and to all affected by Fire Lieutenant Antonio Smith’s passing.

To date, 68 firefighter fatalities have been reported to USFA in 2015. Year-to-date monthly and annual USFA firefighter fatality reports are posted online at U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) Fatality Notices page. 

(The usual disclaimers: I am not a journalist; This is a blog that expresses an outlook and is not conclusive in any shape or manner.) 

USFA LODD: Two Kansas City Fire Department, Missouri Firefighters On-Duty Death Notification 10.12.2015

October 12, 2015 at 1927hrs, Fire Apparatus Operator Larry J. Leggio, 43, and Firefighter John V. Mesh, 39, died from injuries sustained in a structural collapse while working at the scene of an apartment building fire.

Multiple units were dispatched at 1927hrs on initial calls that indicated fire visible from the structure; additional units were dispatched as the incident escalated, with a full second alarm requested shortly after arrival.  Tactical assignments were made, including establishing a Rapid Intervention Team, and crews began operating to effect fire suppression and occupant rescue, rescuing multiple occupants by ladder prior to deteriorating conditions and forcing a shift to defensive operations.   



Evacuation was ordered at 1952hrs.  At approximately 2007hrs, a collapse was reported on the east side of the building.  Two MAYDAY calls were received from the collapse area, indicating firefighters in urgent distress; four firefighters were reported trapped by the collapse.  The Rapid Intervention Team witnessed the collapse and held their ground for no more than 10 seconds until Command ordered them to effect the rescue. They located, uncovered and removed several firefighters from the immediate area. The first ambulance transporting a firefighter departed the scene at approximately 2013hrs, arriving at Truman Medical Center (TMC) approximately five minutes later.  A second emergency transport left the scene at approximately 2021hrs with arrival at TMC five minutes following.  Both those firefighters, Fire Apparatus Operator Leggio and Firefighter Mesh, were pronounced dead at the hospital after paramedics, nurses and doctors had attempted to revive them.  A third firefighter was transported to University of Kansas Medical Center at 2023hrs and a fourth transported non-emergency to St Luke’s at approximately 2027hrs; their condition is still to be reported.
   
The cause of the fatal fire is being investigated by local, state, and federal authorities.

         

Our condolences to the Leggio and Mesh Families & Friends, Kansas City Fire Department, and to all affected by Fire Apparatus Operator Larry J. Leggio's and Firefighter John V. Mesh's passing.

To date, #66 & #67 firefighter fatalities have been reported to USFA in 2015. Year-to-date monthly and annual USFA firefighter fatality reports are posted online at U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) Fatality Notices page. 

(The usual disclaimers: I am not a journalist; This is a blog that expresses an outlook and is not conclusive in any shape or manner.)