This June 18 will mark 15 years since the tragic Sofa Super Store fire in Charleston, South Carolina. Nine members of the Charleston Fire Department were killed that day while fighting the fire. Initially dispatched as an outside fire, this “bunch of trash free-burning against the side of the structure” would quickly transition to a fully developed inferno inside of the 17,600-square-foot furniture store. In addition to the fuel-rich furniture, there were about 12 firefighters inside; nine of them would not make it out.
The Fires That Forged Us: Sofa Super Store Fire
Those killed in this fire:
Bradford Rodney “Brad” Baity, Engineer 19
Theodore Michael Benke, Captain 16
Melvin Edward Champaign, Firefighter 16
James “Earl” Allen Drayton, Firefighter 19
Michael Jonathon Alan French, Engineer 5
William H. “Billy” Hutchinson, III, Captain 19
Mark Wesley Kelsey, Captain 5
Louis Mark Mulkey, Captain 15
Brandon Kenyon Thompson, Firefighter 5
All firefighters, from the rookie to the fire chief, must study this incident. There is so much to learn, from the sacrifices of these firefighters to the rebuild of the Charleston Fire Department. The fire was 15 years ago but the lessons learned still apply today.
This month’s skill/drill is to dive into this fire. Here is a link to the City of Charleston page on the Charleston 9 that has several reports on this fire. Here is a link to a memorial video from the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation.
Below is this month’s Mayday Monday podcast where we talk to three former members of the Charleston Fire Department.
Former Charleston Fire Captain Mark Davis wants everyone to know that an incident like this could happen to any fire department. We must be vigilant and intentional to make sure it doesn’t. In addition, former Interim Fire Chief John Tippett adds this: “Progress is a function of survival. Departments need to constantly assess their effectiveness against exterior forces to ensure they are surviving firefighting through intent, not luck“. Fire departments must keep up with changes in construction, changes in building contents, and anything that influences how we operate and adjust accordingly.
Finally, you are only as good as your next fire. Get ready for it!!
Tony Carroll is deputy chief of operations with the Louisa County (VA) Fire & EMS Department.
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