Firefighter Close Calls

Two Firefighters Killed and Eleven Trapped Under Collapsed Walls after Smoke Explosion During Commercial Bakery Fire – Freihofer Bakery – North 19th Street and West Indiana Avenue – North Philadelphia – September 18, 1926 On September 18, 1926, Philadelphia Fire Captain Joseph G. Jones of Engine Company 50 and Hoseman John J. Sykes of Truck […]

 Two firefighters were injured while battling a two-alarm house fire early Thursday morning in Southeast Washington, D.C., officials said. D.C. Fire and EMS crews responded around 1 a.m. to the 3700 block of Suitland Road SE, where a fire started on the rear porch of a single-story home and spread into the interior. Fire officials […]

Fire Captain Killed and Assistant Chief Severely Burned in Ammonia Explosion in Cold Storage Warehouse – Shreveport, Louisiana – September 17, 1984 On September 17, 1984, Shreveport Fire Captain Percy Johnson was fatally injured, and Assistant Chief Patrick Johnson was burned over 72% of his body in an anhydrous ammonia explosion and fire that occurred […]

GOSHEN – Over 20 Orange County employees who attended the September 9 county emergency operations center exercise may have suffered from a possible foodborne outbreak. Catered food was made available for those who attended, many of whom became ill with symptoms similar to those from food poisoning, including violent vomiting attacks that lasted for hours. […]

Fire Captain Killed and Six Firefighters Injured in Propane Explosion in Basement of Office Building – Farmington, Maine – September 16, 2019 – NIOSH Firefighter Fatality Report F2019-16 On September 16, 2019, Farmington, Maine Fire Captain Michael Bell was killed, and six firefighters were injured in a propane explosion in the basement of a recently […]

Firefighter Killed After Becoming Disoriented During Suspicious Three-Alarm Fire in Vacant Industrial Warehouse – Columbus, Ohio – September 15, 1982 On September 15, 1982, Columbus Firefighter Maurice Gates of Engine 10 died after becoming separated from his crew while operating during a fire in vacant industrial warehouse. When it was realized that Firefighter Gates was […]

Five Firefighters Killed in Wall Collapse – Bamberger, Bloom & Company Dry Goods Store Fire – The Fatal 48 – Louisville, Kentucky – September 15, 1889 On September 15, 1889, five Louisville, Kentucky firefighters died at a fire in the Bamberger, Bloom & Co. dry goods store on Main Street after being crushed by a […]

GARY, Ind. (WISH) — A Gary firefighter was behind bars Monday morning after he reportedly crashed into a state trooper, fled the scene, and led state police on a drunk-driving chase through Gary. Indiana State Police say the incident happened around midnight Monday on Interstate 65 southbound at the I-80 westbound interchange. A state trooper […]

Firefighter Dies After Falling Through Roof at Multi-Family Residential Structure Fire – Muscatine, Iowa – September 14, 2002 – NIOSH Firefighter Fatality Report F2002-40 On September 14, 2002, Firefighter Michael Kruse of the Muscatine Iowa Fire Department died after falling through a roof following roof ventilation operations at a multi-family residential structure fire. Firefighter Kruse, […]

Two Firefighters Die After Explosion While Attempting to Extinguish Coal Storage Silo Fire – Sunset Colony, South Dakota – September 15, 2011 – NIOSH Firefighter Fatality Report F2011-22 On September 15, 2011, Sunset South Dakota Fire Department Firefighters Jacob Paul Waldner and William George Waldner were killed while attempting to extinguish a fire in a […]

DALLAS — A Dallas firefighter was taken to a hospital after sustaining non-life-threatening burns while responding to a fire in a boarded-up home Saturday afternoon. An official with Dallas Fire-Rescue says the firefighter, who was not identified in their report, is in stable condition at this time and is expected to be discharged this evening. […]

Firefighter Killed After Falling Down Elevator Shaft During Fire in Factory – Baltimore, Maryland – September 13, 1907 On September 13, 1907, Baltimore City Ladderman Augustus Gesswein of Truck Company 2 died from his injuries after becoming disoriented in heavy smoke conditions and falling into an unsecured open elevator shaft during a fire in an […]

Firefighter Killed in Collapse of Warehouse Roof During Arson Fire – Tri-State Distributors – Spokane, Washington – September 11, 1982 On September 11, 1982, Spokane Firefighter Paul J. Heidenreich of Snorkel 1 was killed while performing roof ventilation during a four-alarm arson fire in an appliance distributor warehouse. Firefighter Heidenreich had ascended to the roof […]

On May 15, 2026, two volunteer firefighters died following an explosion of an oxygen-limiting silo that occurred at a lumber mill. The incident was investigated by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Fire Fighter Fatality Investigation and Prevention Program (FFFIPP) so that the fire service can learn from this incident and prevent […]

The Legacy of FDNY Ladder 118 – World Trade Center – Manhattan, New York – September 11, 2001 On a bright and clear September morning in 2001, the whole world paused to witness multiple acts of unspeakable horror. An organized band of militant Islamic terrorists hijacked four airliners over the skies of the East Coast […]

Four State Emergency Service of Ukraine workers have been injured in a secondary explosion while fighting a fire at a market in Khmelnytskyi, caused by a Russian attack. Source: Serhii Tiurin, Head of Khmelnytskyi Oblast Military Administration; State Emergency Service of Ukraine “The downing of an aerial asset by air defense forces resulted in debris falling and […]

Schoharie, NY (WRGH) — Multiple fire departments were called to the scene of a house fire on Sunnyside Road in Schoharie Wednesday night. According to the Schoharie Fire Department’s Assistant Chief, the initial call came in around 7:55 PM, and crews arrived within six minutes. Firefighters were still actively fighting the fire at least two hours […]

BALTIMORE (WBFF) — A firefighter was injured after responding to a fire in northeast Baltimore on Monday afternoon, authorities reported. On September 7, around 2 p.m., Baltimore City firefighters responded to a fire located at the 3700 block of Ellerslie Ave.- Once on the scene, firefighters observed heavy black smoke coming from the back of the […]

We regret to pass on that Wellston (NE of Oklahoma City) Firefighter Joe Flake, who was critically injured while operating at a wildfire that burned over 200 acres Monday afternoon has died in the Line of Duty. A retired truck driver with just four months on the job with the Wellston Fire Department, FF Joe […]

NEW BRUNSWICK, New Jersey (WABC) — A fire at a New Brunswick apartment building displaced dozens of Rutgers University students and injured three firefighters, officials said. The fire broke out around 1:30 p.m. Tuesday at an eight-unit residential building on Louis Street, according to the New Brunswick Fire Department. Firefighters brought the blaze under control around […]