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2 Buffalo Firefighters Die in Early Morning Blaze

by Jordan Yerman | August 24, 2009 at 06:12 am

941 views | 62 Recommendations | 8 comments

Two Firefighters are dead as crews battle a building fire in Buffalo, NY. The ground floor of the building contained a deli with bars on the windows, which hindered the firefighters' efforts to get into the building and contain the fire, which broke out at 4am this morning.

One person is apparently still trapped in the two-floor building, on Genessee Street at Wende.

There are reports that crews responding to the call at 4 a.m. heard cries for help, and that the two missing firemen may have been inside when the main floor collapsed.

There are also unconfirmed reports a civilian may have been trapped in the burning building.

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smkovalinsky

at 06:18 on August 24th, 2009

Ah, what a tragic story. :(

Rhonda J Mangus

at 06:21 on August 24th, 2009

I was just listening to the story, Jordan. Thanks so much for posting--

Rhonda J Mangus

at 07:08 on August 24th, 2009

FirefighterNation.com will also be providing updates of this story as they become available.

jazzyzazzy

at 09:59 on August 24th, 2009

Hope they get whoever is in there, out alive.

albertacowpoke

at 10:40 on August 24th, 2009

Two Buffalo firefighters were killed in an early-morning fire at a deli on Genesee Street on the city's East Side, the department's worst loss of life in the last 26 years.

The dead were identified as Lt. Charles "Chip" McCarthy, 45, and firefighter Jonathan Croom, 34.

The deaths were confirmed at about 9:50 a.m. by the Rev. Derren L. Young, Erie County Medical Center chaplain. The bodies were taken out of the building on gurneys draped with American flags.

Lloyd Ayers (not verified)

at 07:52 on August 25th, 2009

Firemen such as these should have their own wall so that the families of the fallen can gather to express their emotions, not enough is ever done for the fallen

Rhonda J Mangus

at 08:37 on August 25th, 2009

Lloyd Ayers, you might find it helpful to learn that there is The National Fallen Firefighters Memorial located on the campus of the National Fire Academy in Emmitsburg, Maryland. When a firefighter dies on duty, a notice of death is immediately posted on the memorial ground and the flags over the Memorial are flown at half-staff in honor of the fallen firefighter(s). The Memorial is open to the public year round.