USFA FIREFIGHTER FATALITY NOTICE: Kansas City (MO) Fire Department Fire Apparatus Operator Larry J. Leggio, 43, and Firefighter John V. Mesh, 39, died on October 12 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.
UPDATE (10/13/2015): According to the Associated Press, Fire Chief Paul Berardi identified the fallen firefighters as 17-year department veteran Larry J. Leggio and 13-year veteran John V. Mesh.
ORIGINAL POST: Two firefighters were killed and two hurt after a burning building on Independence Avenue collapsed on them Monday night, reports The Kansas City Star.
Firefighters were dispatched to a building in the 2600 block of Independence Avenue about 7:30 p.m. and found the structure heavily damaged by smoke and flames.
Fire crews evacuated people from the building, which included apartments. Before the collapse, firefighters on ladders rescued two people from the second story of the building.
While clearing an area with a partially collapsed roof, a further collapse of the structure injured four firefighters. Two of those firefighters died.
“This is the worst day,” said Kansas City (MO) Fire Chief Paul Berardi. “It’s difficult when you’re with somebody 24 hours a day and laughing and joking and then something like this happens.”
The fire crews moved back to what Berardi called a “defensive mode” after the firefighters were hurt. Hours later, flames continued to shoot out of the rubble and smoke smothered the neighborhood east of Prospect and Independence avenues.
The firefighters who were killed were not immediately identified Monday night.
The loss of the two firefighters appeared to be the worst episode in the department’s recent history. Fire officials could not remember such an incident since six firefighters died in an explosion at a construction site in 1988.
Read more about this deadly incident http://bit.ly/1jtHduK
