FDNY report on fatal fire, December 31, 1995

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SAFETY AND INSPECTIONAL SERVICE COMMAND

SAFETY BATTALION 2 INVESTIGATIVE REPORT

FATAL FIRE149-0697 AVENUE

DECEMBER 31,1995

VOLUME 1 JNVESTIGATION

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SUMMARYON DECEMBER 31, 1995 AT 0657, THE NEW YORK CITY FIRE

DEPARTMENT, QUEENS BOROUGH COMMUNICATIONS OFFICE, RECEIVEDAN E.R.S. (EMERGENCY REPORTING SYSTEM) NO CONTACT, FORBOX 6066.ENGINE COMPANY 303 WAS DISPATCHED TO THE BOXLOCATION IE. INTERSECTION LIBERTY AVE AND 150 STREET. AT0701 THE QUEENS BOROUGH COMMUNICATIONS OFFICE, RECEIVED ATELEPHONE A L ~ R M FOR THE SAME LOCATION, REPORTING ABUILDING FIRE. THE REMAINDER OF THE FIRST ALARMASSIGNMENT,TWO ENGINE COMPANIES,A BATTALION CHIEF,WAS DISPATCHED.AT 0701 ENGINE COMPANY 303AND THE OFFICER SAW HEAVY FIRE INBUILDING. A 10 75 ( NOTIFICATIONTRANSMITTED VIA DEPARTMENT RADIO.WAS 149 0697 AVE., A TWO STORY,DWELLING.

TWO LADDER COMPANIES ANDARRIVED AT BOX LOCATIONTHE CELLAR. REAR OF THEOF A WORKING FIRE) WASTHE ADDRESS OF THE FIRENON FIREPROOF, MULTIPLE

FIRE DEPARTMENT OPERATIONS WERE INITIATED, ENGINECOMPANIES STRETCHED AND OPERATED HOSE LINES AND LADDERCOMPANIES PERFORMED THEIR VENT, ENTRY AND S E ~ R C H DUTIES.LIEUTENANT CLANCY, WHILE SEARCHING FOR EXTENSION OFFIRE FROM THE CELLAR TO THE FIRST FLOOR, STEPPED INTOFIRST FLOOR DOORWAY, SIDE ENTRANCE AND THE FLOOR COLLAPSE:DUNDER HIM. LIEUTENANT CLANCY FELL INTO THE CELLAR ANDHEAVY FIRE AREA.LIEUTENANTDEPARTMENT UNITSWHERE HE DIED AS1995.

CLANCY WAS REMOVED FROM CELLAR BY FIREAND WAS TRANSPORTED TO JAMAICA HOSPITALA RESULT OF HIS INJURIES ON DECEMBER 31,

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BACKGROUND INFORMATIONBUILDING DESCRIPTION

THE BUILDING,149 06 97 AVENUE, IS LOCATED ON THESOUTH SIDE OF 97 AVENUE 125 FEET WEST OF 150 STREET. IT ISA 20 BY 7S FOOT, CLASS 3, NON-FIREPROOF (ORDINARYCONSTRUCTION ) , RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURE, 21 FEET IN HEIGHT.THE STRUCTURE CONTAINS 4 APARTMENTS ( TWO PER FLOOR ) ANDA CELLAR. THERE IS AN OPEN WOOD STAIRWAY IN THE FRONT OFBUILDING, RIGHT SIDE, GOING TO THE SECOND FLOOR AND ANENCLOSED WOOD STAIRWAY, SAME LOCATION,GOING TO THECELLAR. THERE IS A SECOND STAIRWAY IN THE REAR PORTION OFTHE BUILDING, ON THE LEFT SIDE,GOING TO THE SECOND FLOORAND AN ENCLOSED STAIRWAY, SAME LOCATION, GOING TO THECELLAR. THE BUILDING IS SEPARATED FRONT TO REAR BY ANUNPIERCED WALL. TWO APARTMENTS IN THE FRONT AND TWOAPARTMENTS IN THE REAR. THE CELLAR IS CONNECTED FRONT TOREAR. THREE STAIRWAYS SERVE THE CELLAR, TWO FROM THEINTERIOR AND ONE FROM THE EXTERIOR IN THE REAR. IT APPEARSTHAT THE BUILDING IS ABOUT SIXTY YEARS OLD. AT THE TIME OFTHE FIRE THE BUILDING WAS VACANT. THE CONTENTS OF THEBUILDING WAS LIGHT IE. ACCUMULATIONS OF RUBBISH AND SOMEFURNITURE.THE MISHAP

THE FOLLOWING OF EVENTS WAS RECONSTRUCTEDFROM INTERVIEWS, EXAMINATION OF PHYSICAL EVIDENCE ANDINFORMATION SUPPLIED BY THE INVESTIGATORS OF THE BUREAU OFFIRE INVESTIGATION.h / ' / '1t/f...:,. I ,.ON DECEMBER 31, 1995 AT APPROXIMATELY HRS TWOPEOPLE, WHO WERE LIVING IN THE C E L L & ~ A VACANTBUILDING, AWOKE TO FIND A FIRE IN THE CUBICAL THEY WERESLEEPING IN . THEY STATED THAT IT PROBABLY STARTED FROM AHOMEMADE CANDLE, WHICH SPREAD TO A QUILT ON THE WALL. THEYATTEMPTED TO PUT OUT THE FIRE BUT WERE UNSUCCESSFUL. THEYRAN OUT OF THE BUILDING AND LEFT THE AREA AND DID NOT TURNIN THE ALARM.AS THE FIRE DEVELOPED, IT EXTENDED TO THE CEILING,OPEN WOOD JOIST. THE HEAT, SMOKE AND FIRE GASES THENTRAVELED HORIZONTALLY TO THE ENTIRE CEILING, IN THE REARPORTION OF THE CELLAR AND VERTICALLY UP THE INTERIORSTAIRWAY, PIPE RECESSES AND OTHER OPENINGS IN THE CEILING,TO THE FIRST FLOOR.THE INTENSITY AND DURATION OF THE FIRE CAUSED THESTABILITY OF THE FIRST FLOOR TO BECOME WEAKENED. AT THESIDE ENTRA.T\JCE, JUST INS DE THE DOORWAY, WAS A TERRA COTTAAND CONCRETE LANDING, ABOUT 3 FEET BY 3 FEET AND 4 TO 6

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INCHES THICK. THE FIRE BURNED OUT ALL OF THE SUPPORTINGMEMBERS UNDER THIS LANDING, LIEUTENANT CLANCY STEPPED ONTHIS LANDING AND HIS ADDED WEIGHT CAUSED THE LANDING TOCOLLAPSE INTO THE CELLAR, TAKIKG LT. CLANCY WITH IT. LT.CLANCY APPARENTLY STRUCK HIS HEAD AS HE FELL INTO THECELLAR CAUSING EITHER UNCONSCIOUSNESS OR SEVEREDISORIENTATION.

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CAUSES

DIRECTLIEUTENANT CLANCY WAS OPERATING IN A HAZARDOUSPOSITION ON FLOOR ABOVE THE FIRE.

LIEUTENANT CLANCY WAS EXPOSED TO HEAT, SMOKE ANDTOXIC FIRE GASES FOR APPROXlr1ATELY 10 MINUTES WITHOUTTHE PROTECTION OF A SELF CONTAINED BREATHINGAPPARATUS.LIEUTENANT CLANCY WAS WEARING HIS SCBA BUT WAS NOTWEARING HIS FACE-PIECE.LIEUTENANT CLANCY FAILED TO ARM HIS PASS DEVICE.

INDIRECTA FINDING OF THE AUTOPSY DISCLOSED THAT LIEUTENANTCLANCY RECEIVED A BLUNT IMPACT TRAUMA TO THE LEFTSIDE OF HIS FOREHEAD. THIS INJURY r1AY HAVECONTRIBUTED TO LIEUTENANT CLANCY'S FAILURE TO ESCAPEFROM FIRE AREA.DELAYED TRANSMISSION OF ALARM. WITNESS STATEMENTSINDICATE THAT THE FIRE BURNED APPROXIMATELY 15M I ~ ~ T E S BEFORE FIRE DEPARTMENT UNITS ARRIVEDHOSE BUTTS SNAGGING ON THE BUILDING AND ACCUMULATIONSOF RUBBISH DELAYED ENGINE 298 IN THEIR STRETCH TO THEREAR. THIS STRETCH WAS NOT LONG ENOUGH TO GO TO THEREAR AND THEN TO SIDE ENTRANCE WHERE LIEUTENANTCLANCY FELL INTO FIRE AREA.LARGE ACCUMULATIONS OF RUBBISH IN THE CELLAR IMPEDEDADVANCEMENT OF ENGINE 303 HOSE LINE.LARGE CEMENT BLOCKS ON EXPOSURE 2 SIDE OF BUILDINGOBSTRUCTED THE HOSE STRETCH OF ENGINE 275.BUI ING WAS VACANT FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME AND WASEXPOSED TO THE ELEMENTS. THIS LED TO SEVEREDETERIORATION OF THE BUILDING.PERSONAL PROTECTIVE PMENT WORN BY LIEUTENANTCLANCY WAS NOT DESIGKED TO PROTECT THE MEMBER AGAINSTTHE EXPOSURE OF HEAT AND FLAME IT WAS SUBJECTED TO.

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MASONRY SET CERAMIC TILE FLOOR SECTION THAT FAILEDWAS SUPPORTED BY LIGHTWEIGHT BUILDING ELEMENTS.

EARLYFAILURE OF FIRE DEPARTMENT UNITS TO FOLLOW THE PROCEDURES AS OUTLINED IN THE FIRE PREVENTION MANUAL, CHAPTER 7 VACANT BUILDINGS. FAILURE OF FIRE DEPARTMENT UNITS TO FOLLOW THE PROCEDURES AS OUTLINED IN AUC 288 - MARKING OF VACANT BUILDINGS.

WERE LIVING IN THE BUILDING AND IT WAS T ~ ~ r ~ ~ ~ BY DRUG USERS AND PROSTITUTES

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R}!:COMMENDATIONS

THE DEPARTMENT SHALL HAVE MEMBERS COMPLY WITH THEVACANT BUILDING SYMBOLS AS SHOWN IN AUC 288. THEY SHALLREINFORCE THE MEANING OF THESE SYMBOLS ON THECOMMISSIONER'S NEWSLETTER, THE DEPARTMENT ORDERS AND ATDIVISION CONFERENCES AND COMPANY DRILLS.

DEPARTMENT SHALL INSURE THAT ALL NEW SCBA PURCHASEDSHALL HAVE THE PASS ALARM INCORPORATED INTO THEREGULATOR, SO THAT THE PASS IS ARMED WHEN THE MASK ISTURNED ON. THIS INTEGRATED PASS ALARM ALSO SHOULD HAVEA VISIBLE INDICATOR SHOWING WHEN THE ALARM ISACTIVATED.

REINFORCE ON THE COMMISSIONER'S NEWSLETTER AND THEDEPARTMENT ORDERS THE NECESSITY FOR USING THE PASSALARM. SINCE THE DEPARTMENT STARTED USING THE PASSALARM, THEY HAVE BEEN FOUND IN THE ~ ~ M E D POSITION ONLYONCE AT A FIRE INVOLVING A FIREFIGHTER FATALITY.

THE CIDS SYSTEM SHOULD BE UTILIZED TO KEEP TRACK OFVACANT BUILDINGS. THE DATE THE BUILDING WAS ORIGINALLYFOUND VACANT, THE BUILDING MARKINGS, SQUATTERS AND DRUGLOCATION ARE EXAMPLES OF SOME INFORMATION THAT CAN BERECORDED ON CIDS. STRUCTURAL WEAKNESS SUCH AS WEAKENEDROOFS, TRUSS ROOFS AND TILE FLOORS CAN ALSO BERECORDED.

ESTABLISH A LIAISON AT THE POLICE PRECINCT LEVELCONCERNING VACANT BUILDINGS. THE PURPOSE OF THISLIAISON WILL BE TO GAIN INFORMATION ON VACANT BUILDINGSSUCH AS KNOWN DRUG LOCATIONS/SQUATTERS AND OTHERPERT NENT INFORMATION.WORK EXPERIENCE PROGRAM ( WEP )PEPSONNEL CAN BEUTILIZi:::D BY THE DEPARTMENT TO IDE:"TIFY AND BOARD UPVACANT BUILDINGS.REQUEST INCREASED FlJNDING FROM THE CITY ADMINISTRATIONTO HASTEN THE DEMOLITION OR REFURB SHING OF VACANTBUI INGS.

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MASONRY SET CERAMIC TILES ALSO KNOWN AS " PENNY TILES"GIVE THE APPEARANCE OF BEING STRUCTURALLY SOUND.NORMALLY, THEY ARE SUPPORTED BY LIGHTWEIGHT STRUCTURALCOMPONENTS. WHEN THESE COMPONENTS ARE SUBJECT TO FIRE ,THEY FAIL RAPIDLY. MEM3ERS CAN BE MADE AltlARE OF THISCONDITION BY SHOWING THEM VACANT BUILDING SITES DURINGMULTI UNIT DRILL AND BUILDING INSPECTION.

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FDNY report on fatal fire, December 31, 1995

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