Westminster (MA) FD officers and Firefighters were
"operating within the scope of their training" when a wall collapsed
at the Columbia Hotel multi alarm building fire in Leominster, injuring two
firefighters, according to the department's report on the incident. (Video
links below) Among the findings
of the report on the Nov. 24 fire, released Monday and signed by Fire Chief
Brenton MacAloney:
* The end of the building where Westminster Ladder/Tower truck was fighting the
blaze had a hip roof, where the rest of the building had a flat roof.
"This was not known at the time of the fire by those that participated in
this review."
* Under the hip roof was a ballroom on the third floor with no internal walls
connecting the outside wall that collapsed.
* As the fire progressed from where it originally started toward the ballroom,
the side of the hip roof closest to the fire collapsed, leaving the three
remaining roof sections standing,
* With no internal walls to support the exterior wall and the weight of the
roof on an angle, the brick exterior wall from the ceiling of the second floor
to the roof line fell, hitting Westminster's Ladder/Tower, and injuring two
Westminster firefighters working in the truck's bucket. The truck was also
damaged.
* The heavy duty design of the Ladder/Tower contributed to the safety of the
firefighters as the ladder and bucket did not fail with the impact of both the
wall and roof.
* Protective equipment worn by the firefighters also prevented their injuries
from being more severe.
The five-alarm fire heavily damaged the historic Columbia Hotel building in
downtown Leominster, displacing 33 residents and nine businesses.
DELAYED
REPORT: FIREFIGHTER IN BRAZIL DROWNS DURING TRAINING
A Firefighter died in the Line of Duty during a
training session last Saturday morning, in the State of Pernambuco,
Brazil. Firefighter Iggor Gouveia Gomes, 21 years old, drowned while trying to
cross a dam in the community of Serra dos Cavalos. Police is investigating the
case. RIP.
ILLINOIS
FIREFIGHTER STRUCK BY APPARATUS-FUNERAL DETAILS
Here are the details for the funeral of fallen Firefighter
Timothy P. Jansen, Santa Fe Fire Protection District, Illinois.
The wake is TOMORROW,
Wednesday December 5, 2012 at St. Cecilia Catholic Church from 3 pm -8 pm
Firefighter walk through will take place at 7pm, assembly for the walk through
will be at 6:45 pm at the Church.
The funeral mass is set
for THURSDAY December 6, 2012 at 11:30 am at St. Cecilia Catholic Church
Firefighters are asked to assemble at the church at 11 am
There will be a walking procession to the cemetery leading Firefighter Jansen
to his resting place. No outside apparatus is requested due to the walking
procession.
St Cecilia Catholic Church -308 S. Washington, Bartelso, IL 62218
For further information please contact: Jeff Kampwerth, 618-363-3194
or at Kampy15@hotmail.com
