lodd Archives - Page 53 of 66

Nine firefighters killed in China

Bill GabbertMarch 6, 2011Uncategorizedfatality, lodd

The UPI is reporting that nine firefighters were entrapped and were killed on a wildfire in China:

A wildfire in southwestern China was completely subdued by Saturday morning but not before nine firefighters perished, a local fire official said.

It took 1,140 firefighters to put out the deadly blaze on Jianchuan Mountain in Yunnan province, the state-run news agency Xinhua reported.

Wan Yong, deputy commander of the provincial forest fire prevention authority, said some firefighters were still monitoring the situation to guard against flare-ups.

Local authorities said the doomed firefighters became trapped Thursday when winds reignited an area that had been smoldering. Several others were injured, Xinhua said.

The fire started accidentally started Wednesday by a woman from Jinchang village, who was burning corn stalks on some uncultivated land surrounded by weeds when gusting winds pushed the flames out of control.

Last month there was a report that six people were killed while fighting another wildfire in China.

Thanks Dick

Three U.K. fire officers charged with manslaughter in LODD’s

Bill GabbertMarch 4, 2011September 3, 2019UncategorizedCantwell-Hastings, lodd, Thirtymile fire

In the United Kingdom three fire officers have been charged with manslaughter in the line of duty deaths of four firefighters in a structure fire. Firefighters Ian Reid, John Averis, Ashley Stephens and Darren Yates-Badley died while fighting a fire in a vegetable packing warehouse in 2007.

The 2002 Cantwell-Hastings bill has resulted in witch hunts, criminal charges, attorney fees, and jail time for wildland firefighters who make mistakes on the fireline.

The most infamous example was the 2001 Thirtymile fire, after which Ellreese Daniels was charged with 11 felonies related to the deaths of four firefighters who were on his hand crew. He was facing the possibility of decades in prison, but the Assistant U. S. Attorney, perhaps realizing he did not have a winnable case, allowed Daniels to plead guilty to two misdemeanors of making a false statement in an Administrative hearing. Seven years after the fire, he was sentenced to three months of incarceration in a work-release program and three years of probation.

One of the morals of these stories is, if you make decisions on fires, you need professional liability insurance.

(Note: this is the 35th time Wildfire Today has referenced the Thirtymile fire in articles.)

Thanks Dick

A firefighter talks about what happened at Camp 16 during the fatal Station fire

Bill GabbertMarch 2, 2011August 25, 2019Uncategorizedfatality, lodd, Station Fire

At Firehouse World in San Diego, Los Angeles County Firefighter Rob Morales told the story of what happened at Camp 16 on August 30, 2009 when the Station fire raced up a chimney canyon, through the camp, and claimed the lives of Captain Ted Hall and Firefighter Arnie Quinones, of the Los Angeles County Fire Department.

Here is an excerpt from an article at Firehouse.com written by Ed Ballam:

…[Rob Morales] said he pulled a fire watch the night before the fire hit and he knew it was big fire by the roar and the glow, but it didn’t make a huge run overnight. He felt safe and thought the fire would pass by the camp and everything would be fine. That seemed to be the prevalent thought of the whole crew. When day broke, Morales said he had been angling to be with Capt. Hall on his truck and he was disappointed when Hall asked Quinones to go with him on the fire patrol.

Morales went back to his crew and kept an eye on the fire and watched for hot spots and embers as it came closer.

At one point, embers showered the camp and he went to see what he could do to put them out. “I soon realized there were way too many and there was nothing I could do,” Morales said.

As the fire came closer, Morales sheltered behind a metal door briefly. He thought they might lose a couple of buildings, but everyone would be OK. The fire grew worse and Morales decided to beeline to the chow hall where the other firefighters in the camp were sheltering as well.

As he headed there, he thought that would be the end of him. “I didn’t think I was going to make it,” he said. “I heard my crew screaming like you never want to hear them scream.” He recalled looking out and seeing virtually everything in the camp on fire. “I knew we were losing and I hollered the F-word as loud as I could,” he said.

A window in the chow hall broke and then someone in the crew called out that they were going to die in the building if they stayed.

“I made a decision to leave the building,” Morales said. “I decided that if I was going to die, they were going to find me outside and not have to dig through a pile of bodies to find me.”

Even though he was in great peril, Morales said he never stopped thinking about Hall and Quinones, who he knew were either in trouble, or were outrunning the fire as they headed down the canyon.

As Morales made his way across the camp, he noticed that the area where the privately owned vehicles were parked was not burned and the air would sustain life. He radioed to the crew to run to the area where the trucks were parked and told them the air was good.

As all the members of the crew gathered, he told them to jump in the trucks as they evacuated.

“I didn’t care what truck they got into, we just needed to get out of there,” Morales said, adding that he was hoping they would catch up with Hall and Quinones on the road.

Read the rest of the article.

Here is an image we posted on May 16, 2010 when we covered the release of the official report about the burnover of Camp 16, which is incorrectly referred to in the Firehouse.com article as “Station 16”. It is located at the top of the canyon, near the icon on the ridge.

Kentucky firefighter dies from injuries sustained in September

Bill GabbertFebruary 17, 2011August 25, 2019Uncategorizedfatality, lodd1 Comment

We are sad to report that Donald S. Lam of the Kentucky Division of Forestry, died today, February 17, of injuries he sustained while fighting a fire in western Kentucky on September 7, 2010.

We reported on September 8:

Initial investigations report that Ranger Lam was struck by a rolling log, a burning snag approximately 10 ft in length that broke loose and rolled off a bluff. The impact has left Ranger Lam unconscious and with serious injuries including second degree burns.

Here is more information reported today by LEX18.com:

Lam, 58, was a dedicated forest ranger technician and experienced wildland firefighter who had assisted with fire suppression efforts on the local, state and national level for nearly 12 years.

“This tragedy is a tremendous loss to our organization,” said Leah MacSwords, director of the Kentucky Division of Forestry. “When you think about what forest wardens do every day and the frequency in which they put themselves in harm’s way for the protection of citizens and forest resources, it makes you realize the commitment and loyalty that make up their character.”

Lam, who had been in critical condition since the accident occurred on September 7, received injuries while working the Scotts Chapel Road Fire-a 12-acre wildfire in Livingston County. Lam was clearing a fire break for containment at the base of a bluff when a burning snag broke loose on top and rolled off striking him from behind. The impact left him unconscious and with serious injuries including second degree burns.

The Scotts Chapel Road fire initially spread from a burning brush pile during a county-wide burn ban. The brush pile was set fire by FCE Construction and Excavation while clearing a construction site owned by River Oaks Timberland Management. Currently, charges are pending for the person responsible for starting the fire.

Our sincere condolences go out to Mr. Lam’s family and co-workers.

Thanks for the information Tyson, and we are sorry for your loss.

6 killed fighting wildfire in China

Bill GabbertFebruary 7, 2011Uncategorizedfatality, lodd

There are reports out of China that six people died Saturday, February 5, while fighting a wildfire in east China’s Zhejiang Province. Some reports say that villagers or unspecified people died fighting the fire, while others say the six were firefighters. Two or three others were injured.

The fire started when people set off fireworks at the graves of relatives in Fulin Village, Chun’an County in tribute to their ancestors.

Firefighter killed by falling tree in Australia

Bill GabbertFebruary 4, 2011October 13, 2012UncategorizedAustralia, fatality, lodd2 Comments

A firefighter who worked for the National Parks and Wildlife Service in New South Wales, Australia was killed Friday, Feb. 4 when he was trapped under a falling tree while he was working on a bush fire near Quorrobolong, south of Cessnock (map). Here is an excerpt from an article at The Herald:

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A National Parks and Wildlife Service firefighter described as a ‘‘larger than life classic bush character’’ and devoted family man died yesterday doing the job he loved.

John Garland, 65, of Muswellbrook, was killed after a tree fell on him during a bushfire operation at Quorrobolong, south of Cessnock.

The father of six and great-grandfather was a divisional commander and firefighter with the Upper Hunter office at Scone for the past 11 years.

Regional manager Robert Quirk described him as a ‘‘truly wonderful human being who loved his job’’.

Mr Quirk said that at 65, Mr Garland was not ready for retirement and was talking about staying until he was 70.

‘‘He was fit and strong and worked as hard as anyone – it showed the measure of the man,’’ he said.

Mr Quirk said he had a love of the forest and had worked in the timber industry before joining the national parks.

‘‘He was passionate about his job, he was always the first one on and last one off the fire ground,’’ he said.

‘‘He had a sense of pride, that he was working on behalf of the community.’’

Mr Quirk said Mr Garland was an occupational health and safety committee member. He was ‘‘one of the safest blokes’’ he knew and would have had ‘‘his eyes open to everything’’.

‘‘It is just an awful tragedy,’’ he said. ‘‘It goes to show how dangerous fighting fires is.

‘‘… he was doing what he loved.’’

The accident occurred about 12.30pm near a 70hectare bushfire at Baraba Lane, which had been burning since Monday.

NPWS head Sally Barnes said in a statement that Mr Garland, an advanced tree feller, was working to remove problem trees from the fire ground when the incident occurred.

She said crews worked frantically to free him but he died before the tree could be moved.

Ms Barnes said the accident devastated colleagues. Mr Garland was an experienced, senior firefighter and much-loved mentor.

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Our condolences go out to Mr. Garland’s family and co-workers.