On Monday afternoon at FDIC 2014, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF)—Research Laboratory Fire Protection Engineer Adam St. John lead this sobering but infomative discussion which touched on incidents and involving firefighter line-of-duty-deaths (LODDs), specifically the January 2011 apartment fire in Hillendale, Maryland that killed volunteer firefighter Mark Falkenhan.
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“The purpose of this class is to update the fire service on trends that we’ve seen at ATF while conducting fire tests and visiting fire scenes,” St. John said. “ATF feels that many of the scene we investigate feature teaching points and common themes that should be impact the fire service.”
“Often, many of these findings support the firefighting tactical research conducted by NIST and UL. This class is targeted directly to firefighters featuring terminology, videos, photos and audio from actual fire scenes.”
St. John detailed account of the Maryland incident included Falkenhan’s every move inside the building to the direction of the fire spread to the actual transmissions of the Mayday call which indicated his wrong position to command.
According to the U.S. Fire Administration on the January 19, 2011 fire, Baltimore County (MD) firefighters were dispatched to a report of a kitchen fire in a three-story garden-style apartment building. Upon arrival, firefighters reported smoke showing and a civilian at a third floor window threatening to jump. Firefighters rescued the civilian over a ground ladder and stretched attack lines into the building. The incident commander requested a second alarm. Fire was found in multiple apartments and a second unconscious civilian victim was discovered and removed by firefighters.
Firefighter/Paramedic Falkenhan, 43, acting as the unit’s company officer, arrived on a heavy rescue truck approximately 11 minutes after the arrival of the first unit. Firefighter/Paramedic Falkenhan and another firefighter proceeded to the second floor of the fire occupancy. After searching the second floor and reporting high heat conditions, they proceeded to the third floor to continue searching the structure. The two firefighters completed the search of one third floor apartment and began to search a second apartment.
Rapid fire progress occurred and trapped Firefighter/Paramedic Falkenhan and the other firefighter in the apartment. The incident commander observed the advancement of the fire and ordered an evacuation. Tones were sounded over the radio and air horns on fire apparatus were sounded.
The firefighter with Firefighter/Paramedic Falkenhan was able to make it to a window and down a ladder. Firefighter/Paramedic Falkenhan declared a Mayday and advised the incident commander that he was trapped on the third floor. Firefighters accessed the apartment where Firefighter/Paramedic Falkenhan was trapped over ground ladders and an aerial ladder. He was located and removed from the structure. Despite efforts by firefighters and medical personnel, Firefighter/Paramedic Falkenhan died of injuries he received in the fire. His death was caused by burns.
“So, how did that fire spread through the building? The initial fire is knocked; it’s out. There’s a few hotspots on that terrace level, but we’re gonna have a guy die five minutes later.”
Above is the ATF Fire Research Laboratory’s Engineering Analysis of the fire using actual scene audio, photographs, and computer fire modeling video used by St. John in his presentation
“When I presented this to the Secret Service, I didn’t realize that every guy in the Secret Service who came to watch were fire chiefs…”
St. John explained that although the ATF uses many of the videos featured in this class to teach ATF investigators as well as state and local investigators, they have value to the fire service as well.
“We want the public in general and the fire service in particular to realize that the ATF Fire Research Laboratory and the ATF arson program is the primary federal organization tasked with fire investigation. ATF investigates many LODDs to determine fire origin and cause, and we want the fire service to understand what our role is on a fire scene.”
St. John said that he wanted to educate the fire service on modern compartment fire dynamics and also make them aware of ATF’s mission concerning fighting violent crimes, including arson.
