mdj1
02-07-2007, 23:19
I have been out of FF/EMS for about 15 years however it still hurts to see one fall.....
From the local paper
"The city fire department was awaiting the coroner's report before finalizing its investigation into the death of 27-year-old Jeremy Charles LaBella, Washington Fire Chief Linn Brookman said Tuesday.
"There's no suspicion," Brookman said Tuesday, as the fire department was preparing for a massive funeral Thursday for the fallen firefighter.
The fire alarm sounded at 9:32 a.m., sending the department to a rambling garage owned by Edwin Korby, 87, who lived in an attached two-story house at 1273-75 Allison Ave.
LaBella and Engineer George McMullen, 38, of Washington, were among the first firefighters to arrive from the city's nearby Tylerdale station.
Both men entered the burning building, wearing oxygen tanks and face-covering breathing apparatuses. They were pushed back by flames, which had begun to engulf the roof of the one-story frame garage and spread to the house.
"They were talking to each other when they exited the building," Washington Mayor Ken Westcott said.
They already had exchanged their oxygen supplies once and were returning a third time for another set of tanks, which contain a 10- to 15-minute supply of air per man. About that time, the roof collapsed. Brookman placed a mayday call, signaling downed firefighters, at 10:10 a.m. when the canopy covering the sidewalk where men were standing collapsed with the garage roof. The fire department believes LaBella's oxygen tanks were empty when he became trapped under the debris, said fire Capt. Joe Manning."
http://www.observer-reporter.com/OR/Story/02_07_City_Firefighter_Killed2007_02_07T00_34_11
Funeral is later today 2/8/07
From the local paper
"The city fire department was awaiting the coroner's report before finalizing its investigation into the death of 27-year-old Jeremy Charles LaBella, Washington Fire Chief Linn Brookman said Tuesday.
"There's no suspicion," Brookman said Tuesday, as the fire department was preparing for a massive funeral Thursday for the fallen firefighter.
The fire alarm sounded at 9:32 a.m., sending the department to a rambling garage owned by Edwin Korby, 87, who lived in an attached two-story house at 1273-75 Allison Ave.
LaBella and Engineer George McMullen, 38, of Washington, were among the first firefighters to arrive from the city's nearby Tylerdale station.
Both men entered the burning building, wearing oxygen tanks and face-covering breathing apparatuses. They were pushed back by flames, which had begun to engulf the roof of the one-story frame garage and spread to the house.
"They were talking to each other when they exited the building," Washington Mayor Ken Westcott said.
They already had exchanged their oxygen supplies once and were returning a third time for another set of tanks, which contain a 10- to 15-minute supply of air per man. About that time, the roof collapsed. Brookman placed a mayday call, signaling downed firefighters, at 10:10 a.m. when the canopy covering the sidewalk where men were standing collapsed with the garage roof. The fire department believes LaBella's oxygen tanks were empty when he became trapped under the debris, said fire Capt. Joe Manning."
http://www.observer-reporter.com/OR/Story/02_07_City_Firefighter_Killed2007_02_07T00_34_11
Funeral is later today 2/8/07