According to The Boston Globe, one Worcester (MA) firefighter was killed this morning and at least one other firefighter injured when a burning apartment building collapsed on them.
Officials confirmed the death of the firefighter shortly after 7:30 a.m., according to the Worcester Telegram and Gazette.
The Boston Herald identified the fallen firefighter as Jon Davies, a 17-year veteran of the force. He leaves behind three sons, two of whom are in the military, one currently serving in Afghanistan, in addition to a sister and fiancee (http://bit.ly/sLk6fo).
The firefighter who was injured is Brian Carroll, a 14-year veteran of the Worcester Fire Department.
The fire began early Thursday in the large multi-family home on Arlington Street. About a dozen people lived in the building. Firefighters reportedly entered the structure receiving a report that a resident was still inside.
According to a report on msnbc.com by WHDH.com (http://on.msnbc.com/vP23hs), two firefighters were taken from the building after being briefly trapped. One of those firefighters was pulled quickly from the structure on Arlington Street. He suffered smoke inhalation and was expected to be okay.
Crews took longer in locating the second firefighter, who was reportedly trapped under a collapsed wall. He was removed from the building, placed on a stretcher, and taken to the hospital, where he later died.
The building firefighters were operating in was a triple-decker and reportedly was recently condemned. FOX 25 (http://bit.ly/suZkni) reported that city officials said the building has received 30 code violations over the past three years for vermin and illegal heaters. On Monday, the city planned on bringing the building’s owner to court over the building’s safety violations
The tragedy occurred just a week after the December 3 anniversary of the Cold Storage warehouse fire that killed six Worcester firefighters in 1999.
More information is available at:
http://news.bostonherald.com/news/regional/view/20111208at_least_1_firefighter_removed_from_worcester_blaze/srvc=home&position=also
http://bostonglobe.com/metro/2011/12/08/firefighter-killed-worcester-blaze-second-injured/a6uUpW8YPWqlzHkckO6e9H/story.html
http://www.necn.com/12/08/11/3-firefighters-rescued-from-Worcester-Ma/landing.html?blockID=608034&feedID=4753
