Fire Lieutenant Dies Encountering Hoarding Conditions During Residential High-Rise Apartment Fire – Brooklyn, New York – July 5, 2014 – NIOSH Firefighter Fatality Report F2014-14
On July 5, 2014, FDNY Lieutenant Gordon Ambelas of Ladder 119 died after he was overcome by extreme fire conditions while attempting to find the seat of the fire in an extremely cluttered apartment in a high-rise building. The fire apartment was located on the 19th floor of a 21-story residential apartment building in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn. Hoarding conditions were found as the apartment was extremely cluttered with personal possessions stacked high against the walls. Due to the cluttered conditions, which limited their mobility, crews had trouble locating the seat of the fire. Visibility was limited due to the thick, optically dense smoke. At some point, Lieutenant Ambelas became separated from his crew as conditions inside the apartment rapidly deteriorated, forcing firefighters to withdraw to the hallway. All firefighters in the apartment were able to withdraw except for Lieutenant Ambelas, who transmitted a Mayday. Firefighters re-entered the apartment and extinguished the fire. A firefighter reported hearing a PASS device in the direction of the bedroom. Lieutenant Ambelas was found a short time later, unresponsive and with his facepiece dislodged from his face. He was immediately transported to a local hospital where Lieutenant Ambelas was pronounced dead. The cause of the fire was determined to be an overheated extension cord connected to a window-mounted air conditioning unit that extended underneath the hoarded items accumulated in the bedroom.
The structure involved in the incident was a 21-story Type I Fire Resistive high-rise multi-family apartment building that was part of a large complex of similar high-rise structures located in a densely populated part of the borough. The building had two elevators located in the main lobby that serviced every floor. Each floor was also serviced by two isolated stairwells, commonly referred to as scissor stairs. Scissor stairs are two enclosed stairs separated by code-rated walls contained within a single stairway shaft. Per city building codes, scissor stairs may be installed in multi-family dwellings rather than requiring stairs to be remote and are counted as two separate exits. Scissor stairs exit doors are placed no less than 15 feet apart in the public hallway. The building was not equipped with an automatic sprinkler system but had fire standpipe outlets on each floor. Note: Many of the high-rise apartment buildings in the borough were operated by the city’s public housing authority.
This incident occurred in the New York City Borough of Brooklyn, the most populous of the five boroughs within the city. The 97 square mile Borough had a population of 2,736,074 residents in 2020. If each borough were ranked as a city, Brooklyn would rank as the third-most populous in the country, after Los Angeles and Chicago. Williamsburg is a neighborhood in Brooklyn bordered by Greenpoint to the north; Bedford–Stuyvesant to the south; Bushwick and East Williamsburg to the east; and the East River to the west. The population of the 2.17 square mile area according to the 2010 U.S. census was 151,308. Williamsburg, especially near the waterfront, was a vital industrial district until the mid-20th century. After deindustrialization of the area in the 1970s, many of the former factories and commercial buildings were left vacant or underutilized. By the early 21st century, the area began to revitalize with many of the former commercial properties converted for residential and mixed uses.
The New York City Fire Department (FDNY) operates five fire stations in Williamsburg:
- Engine 211/Ladder 119 – 26 Hooper Street – 0.6 miles from the fire building.
- Engine 216/Ladder 108/Battalion 35 – 187 Union Avenue – 0.8 miles from the fire building.
- Engine 221/Ladder 104 – 161 South 2nd Street – 1 mile from the fire building.
- Engine 229/Ladder 146 – 75 Richardson Street – 1.4 miles from the fire building.
- Engine 209/Ladder 102/Battalion 34 – 850 Bedford Avenue – 1.6 miles from the fire building.
At the time of the incident, the Fire Department of New York (FDNY) employed approximately 10,200 uniformed firefighters and over 3,600 uniformed emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and paramedics operating from 230 firehouses that served a population of over eight million residents in a geographic area of approximately 322 square miles.
At the time of the incident the State of New York required that fire departments train career firefighters to a level equivalent to NFPA 1001 Standard for Fire Fighter Professional Qualifications. The state also required 100 hours of annual in-service training. The FDNY required all firefighter recruits to complete an 18-week training program at the department’s fire academy. Firefighter recruits were instructed in the basics of fire suppression systems and firefighting tactics. After graduating from the fire academy, the recruits go through a one-year probationary period working as part of a fire company. At the completion of recruit school, the firefighter recruit receives the following certifications: Fire Fighter I and II, HazMat Awareness and Operations, and Certified First Responder – Defibrillator.
Lieutenant Gordon Ambelas had 14 years of experience as a firefighter and had been a lieutenant for approximately one year, having attended six weeks of first line supervisor training which is mandated by the State of New York.
At the time of this incident, the weather was clear with a temperature of 76 degrees F and relative humidity 37 percent with variable winds measured at 4.6 miles per hour. The incident occurred on the 19th floor of a 21-story residential apartment building. The weather conditions were not considered to be a factor in this incident.
On Saturday July 5, 2014, at 2110 hours, FDNY units were dispatched for the report of the smell of smoke in a 21-story high-rise residential apartment building at the Independence Houses, a city housing project at 75 Wilson Street in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn. Engines 211, 221, & 216, Ladders 119 & 104, and Battalion 35 were dispatched. Engine 211 and Ladder 119 with Lieutenant Ambelas were the first companies on scene at 2112 hours. The engine crew dismounted the engine and gathered equipment, while the engine driver prepared to supply the building standpipe on Side Alpha of the building. As the crews walked through the courtyard to the lobby entrance, they looked up and observed fire in a window in an upper story. Battalion 35 arrived on scene, assumed Command, and confirmed a working fire was in progress bringing additional fire units to the scene.
The firefighters initially discovered the two elevators serving the building were malfunctioning and not properly controlled while using the firefighter mode. Lieutenant Ambelas and the ladder company entered the elevator and rode up to the 17th floor. A resident living on the 19th floor told the ladder company that the fire was in Apartment 19 Bravo. When the elevator car returned to the lobby, the engine company took the elevator to the 17th floor and advanced to the 19th floor where the ladder company were forcing the door to Apartment 19 Bravo. The hallway on the 19th floor was clear and no smoke was present at this time. The engine crew stretched their hoseline to the apartment door from the standpipe outlet on the floor below.
Battalion 31 was the second-due battalion chief and was assigned as the attack chief by Command. At approximately 2119 hours, Lieutenant Ambelas radioed to Command that they had control of the door to the fire apartment and were waiting on the hoseline. When the hoseline was charged and in position, the ladder company entered the apartment. Meanwhile, Command was advised of the problem with the elevator. The attack chief proceeded into the apartment building and heard the radio transmission that the elevator was malfunctioning, so he proceeded to climb the stairwell up to the 19th floor. At 2122 hours, Lieutenant Ambelas radioed that the apartment was very cluttered. Soon after, another radio transmission also reported cluttered conditions inside the fire apartment. The ladder crew tried to enter the kitchen but could not due to the cluttered conditions. They advanced further down the hallway until they entered the living room, but they still could not find the fire.
At 2123 hours, Command asked Lieutenant Ambelas if they had water on the fire. At approximately this time, the engine lieutenant thought that it was taking a long time to find the fire, so he entered the apartment to look for the ladder company. As soon as he crawled into the apartment, he immediately knew what was taking the ladder company so long. The apartment was extremely cluttered with objects blocking the interior hallway and stacked high against the walls throughout the apartment making forward movement very difficult. Smoke was banking down about halfway to the floor. As the engine lieutenant continued to advance into the apartment, he encountered a firefighter from the ladder company and asked if they had located the fire and was told they had not. At some point, Lieutenant Ambelas moved further into the living room and went to his right toward the kitchen. This was the last time that he was seen alive.
Another ladder company was sent to the fire floor. At this time, other firefighters reported that they had an auto-exposure issue on the floor above the fire. The engine lieutenant backed halfway out to the apartment doorway and told the engine crew to bring the hoseline into the apartment. The clutter created a real problem for the engine crew as they advanced straight down the hallway into the apartment. The engine crew advanced their hoseline into the apartment about five feet and opened the nozzle. As the crew advanced, they heard someone yell “It’s back here.” They advanced about five feet further.
Soon after, Command radioed Lieutenant Ambelas and asked him for a report on locating the seat of the fire. He also advised that the fire was venting freely out a window on Side Delta. Lieutenant Ambelas replied that the engine was moving into the apartment and “we got a lot of clutter up here.” At this point, the engine lieutenant could feel heat to his left but didn’t see any fire. The engine lieutenant met a ladder company firefighter who was using his water can to spray water through the doorway into the bedroom. The engine crew saw fire rolling overhead as conditions began to deteriorate rapidly and the nozzle was briefly opened to darken down the fire. When the nozzle was opened the hose stream hit the ladder company firefighter, knocking his helmet off. Note: At this point, it is believed that the hose stream also hit Lieutenant Ambelas, although this could not be confirmed. Soon after, Lieutenant Ambelas radioed Command and advised him that the hoseline was not hitting the fire and conditions in the fire apartment were getting worse.
At 2128 hours, Lieutenant Ambelas radioed “Mayday, Mayday, Mayday,” which was not heard by everyone on the scene. Immediately after the “Mayday” transmission, the engine lieutenant transmitted a second “Mayday” that was then heard by everyone at the scene. Command quickly acknowledged the Mayday. Soon after, the engine lieutenant radioed “I’ve got fire behind me in the apartment.” Command asked the engine lieutenant if the hoseline was in operation and he replied “Negative.” At this point, the engine crew had to back out to let two ladder company firefighters out of the apartment. The engine crew moved the hoseline back to the apartment door and exited the apartment.
At 2129 hours, Lieutenant Ambelas radioed another Mayday which was not heard by everyone at the scene. The rescue company immediately asked, “Who gave a Mayday?” Soon after, Command radioed that the engine lieutenant was reporting they had fire behind them in the apartment. A ladder company member tried to radio Lieutenant Ambelas with no response.
The engine lieutenant crouched down low and dove toward the apartment door where he encountered several firefighters. At this point, the engine lieutenant thought he was the last firefighter to exit the apartment. Once he got to the doorway, he met a chief officer and verbally rescinded the Mayday. However, this was never reported over the radio to Command. The engine crew moved the hoseline back inside the apartment door and resumed operating the attack hoseline in the direction of the bedroom. At 2130 hours, Lieutenant Ambelas radioed a third Mayday and stated that he was getting burned bad which went unheard by almost all members at the scene. Note: This was the last contact with Lieutenant Ambelas.
When Battalion 31 arrived at the fire floor, Battalion 57, who had ridden the elevator, was already there directing companies. The engine continued to operate the hoseline in the apartment hallway. They could see fire in front of them and to their left in the bedroom. They tried to bank water off the ceiling and rear wall into the bedroom. The engine crew heard a PASS alarm sounding somewhere in the apartment. Command gave the order to withdraw from the apartment to re-group.
Soon after the order to evacuate was given, Command, located in the courtyard, observed water coming out the window of the fire apartment and the fire appeared to be extinguished. This was approximately 1 to 2 minutes after the “Mayday.” Command radioed Lieutenant Ambelas, but there was no answer. Command then radioed another member of Ladder 119 to confirm that their officer was missing. Battalion 35 left the command post and proceeded to the fire floor. Rescue 2 and Squad 252 were at the fire room door, and Ladder 110, assigned as the Rapid Intervention Team (RIT), arrived on the fire floor.
Ladder 108 entered the apartment. The hallway was congested with firefighters trying to advance into the apartment. Debris and accumulated items within the apartment had to be moved out into the public hallway. The Ladder 108 crew members reached the living room and began to knock out the windows to clear the apartment of smoke.
Lieutenant Ambelas was found with his facepiece off at the foot of the bed. Note: The lieutenant’s helmet was found in the living room and the helmet from one of the ladder company members was found in the bedroom. It is believed that both the lieutenant and the member had their helmets dislodged by the hose stream and the member moved out of the apartment without a helmet as the heat in the hallway intensified while Lieutenant Ambelas donned the member’s helmet and attempted to follow but was cut off by the rapidly deteriorating conditions. The member reported that he had never entered the bedroom.
The rescue and squad companies used a life rope to remove Lieutenant Ambelas from the fire apartment. After a slight delay in getting the Lieutenant into a stokes basket, he was carried down the stairwell to the 18th floor and then on the elevator to the ground floor. He was immediately transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.
According to the death certificate, the medical examiner listed the cause of death for Lieutenant Ambelas as smoke inhalation and thermal burn injuries.
According to the fire department investigators, the fire was determined to have originated in the bedroom. The cause of the fire was determined to be an overheated extension cord connected to the window-mounted air conditioning unit. The extension cord ran between the wall and the bedframe and extended underneath the hoarded items accumulated in the bedroom.
NIOSH investigators identified the following items as key contributing factors in this incident that ultimately led to the fatality:
- Cluttered conditions within apartment blocked ingress and delayed getting water on the fire.
- Fire originated in bedroom where extension cord overheated under clutter.
- Thick dense smoke limited visibility.
- Thick dense smoke became fuel in rapid fire progression.
- Lack of water on the fire.
- Lack of crew integrity exiting the apartment.
- Lack of a sprinkler system in high-rise apartment building.
- Radio traffic including Maydays not heard by everyone on fireground.
- Defective elevators in high-rise apartment building.
Lieutenant Gordon Matthew Ambelas, age 40, was a 15-year veteran of the FDNY and had been promoted to Lieutenant 10 months prior to the incident. Born and raised in Staten Island, New York, Matt spent 13 years at Engine 161/Ladder 81 in Staten Island. When he was promoted, he was assigned to Ladder 119 in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. In May 2014, Matt and his fellow firefighters from Engine 211 & Ladder 119 received an award for saving a young boy who was entangled in a roll up gate. He was survived by his wife, Nanette, and two daughters, Gina, age 5, and Gabby, age 7; his sister, Christine Ambelas; his mother, Grace Ambelas; and his father, Gordon Ambelas.
Thousands of his fellow firefighters attended the services for the fallen lieutenant at the Church of St. Clare on Staten Island where Ambelas lived with his family. The name of Lieutenant Gordon Matthew Ambelas was inscribed on the apparatus from Ladder 81 and Tower Ladder 119 where the fallen firefighter had served.
The name of Lieutenant Gordon Matthew Ambelas has been honored at the New York Firemen’s Memorial on Riverside Drive at 100th Street in Manhattan, New York. The memorial honors all the members of the NYFD and FDNY who have made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty. Built in 1913 on a hillside facing the Hudson River, the memorial comprises a grand staircase, a balustraded plaza, a fountain basin, and the central monument. Made of Knoxville marble, the monument is a sarcophagus-like structure with a massive bronze bas-relief of horses drawing an engine to a fire. To the south and north are allegorical sculpture groups representing “Duty” and “Sacrifice.”
The name of Lieutenant Gordon Matthew Ambelas has been inscribed at the New York State Fallen Firefighters Memorial on the grounds of the New York State Capitol in Albany. The memorial features a 54-foot by 15-foot gray granite wall with the names of New York State fallen firefighters permanently etched into the stone. In front of the wall stands a 10-foot-high dark bronze sculpture of two firefighters rescuing an injured colleague created by New York sculptor Robert Eccleston. The sculpture rests on a paved plaza with charcoal and red bricks forming a Maltese Cross. As of October 2024, there are 2,692 names on the wall. The earliest name on the wall is from the year 1811.
The name of Lieutenant Gordon Matthew Ambelas has been inscribed on the 2014 plaque displayed at the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial on the campus of the National Fire Academy in Emmitsburg, Maryland.
Commentary:
Hoarding conditions pose a significant threat to firefighters operating on the interior at a structure fire. These conditions should be relayed to all personnel on the scene as a serious hazard. The use of thermal imaging cameras and search ropes for firefighting operations under hoarding conditions should be part of your department’s standard operating procedures.
We have attached photos from the incident and the link to the NIOSH report:
https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/163402
We have also attached the link to an article on fighting fires in hoarding conditions by Ryan Pennington published in Firehouse magazine:
We have also attached a BCFS Question of the Week on the firefighting challenges of hoarding conditions: https://www.facebook.com/groups/192218352449074/permalink/1569059674764928/
Thanks to multiple media sources for additional information for this article.
Honor the service of Lieutenant Gordon Ambelas by reviewing the dangers of hoarding conditions at structure fires and your department’s procedures for dealing with such events with your crew members today.
Remember Fallen Brothers.
Get Out There And Know Your Local!!!
View of apartment building looking up from street level. Center window is room of origin.
Overhead view of incident location.
