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Downtown Fire in Verona

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Fire Contained in Old City Center

 A FIRE BROKE OUT IN AN APARTMENT BUILDING AROUND 5 am Wednesday morning in the ancient city of Verona, Italy.  The old palacio building has been converted into apartments and the fire appears to have started in a vacant residence on the 2nd floor.  It spread through the entire building and downward into the commercial occupancies on the ground floor, heavily damaging a pizzeria

L’Arena

The site is in the ancient center of the city where the streets are very narrow and all buildings are close to each other.  However the Vigili del Fuoco contained the blaze to the original building and the pizzeria.  The photos and this brief video of the fire show the exposures:

 

The building was burned out, but there were no reports of any injuries.

L’Arena

L’Arena has the STORY.
YouReporter has another video HERE.

Posted by on February 23, 2011 • Filed under: fire, Fires, Videos • Tagged: ,

Fire Chief Visits Italian USAR Training Facility

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Europe’s Most Technologically-Advanced USAR Training Facility

THE HEAD OF THE NATIONAL FIRE DEPARTMENT OF ITALY (Vigili del Fuoco), Prefect Francesco Paolo Tronca paid an official visit to the Urban Search and Rescue training facility in Pisa on February 19.

All photos from Vigili del Fuoco

While there, he observed a search and rescue evolution performed by one of the USAR teams in coordination with the Italian Red Cross, the Emergency Physicians group, and a team of search dogs.

The Pisa training ground is reputed to be the most technically-advanced  such facility in Europe with specially-constructed debris fields to simulate – and monitor – different types of building collapse.

The Vigili del Fuoco has a photo gallery HERE and HERE.

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Posted by on February 22, 2011 • Filed under: Training, training-fire-rescue-topics • Tagged: , , ,

Deadly Apartment Fire in Germany

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Victim Trapped on Balcony

THE RESIDENTS OF AN APARTMENT BUILDING were witness to a dramatic rescue attempt in in Munich-Neuhausen, Germany, Sunday night.  Several calls to the emergency dispatch center reported that one person was trapped on the balcony of a unit on fire in the 5-story building.

LocalXXL photo

When the fire brigade arrived they found the unit fully involved and raised their tower-ladder to the balcony in an attempt to locate the victim.  Applying a hose stream right away from the tower they beat back the flames to disclose an already burned corpse.

LocalXXL

At the same time an interior crew of firefighters made their way into the apartment and conducted a search for any other possible victims.  In the bathroom they found a small Yorkshire terrier huddled in the corner.  Despite the tremendous amount of heat that had been in the fire unit, the dog was uninjured.

LocalXXL

The fire was knocked down in 15 minutes.  After the smoke had been fully evacuated from the building, the other tenants were permitted back into their apartments.  The unit that was on fire was completely burned out.  The body found on the balcony is presumed to be the 43-yr.-old resident, but it was burned beyond recognition and has to be identified yet.

LocalXXL has the STORY.

Posted by on February 8, 2011 • Filed under: fire, Fires • Tagged: ,

Multiple Rescues in French Apartment Fire

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Dozen Trapped in Old-Age Pensioners Apartment

A LATE-MORNING FIRE IN AN APARTMENT BUILDING of Saint Laurent du Var,France, seriously injured one woman and trapped 12 other residents in their apartments.

The fire started around 11 am in a 3rd-floor unit of the 5-story building and brought more than 50 firefighters from eight departments to the scene where the fire was starting to spread beyond the place of origin.   Twelve elderly and infirm people were trapped in their apartments and required the assistance of the firefighters to escape with six of them being taken out with a tower ladder. 

The tenant of the unit where the fire started was rescued by the firefighters and transported to the hospital in grave condition.  The extreme heat in the hallways presented a challenge for the firefighters to carry the victims out of the building.

This video filed by Nice Matin shows one of the tower-ladder rescues:

 

There hasn’t yet been a cause for the fire given.

The SDIS 06 (fire department) reports on its WEBSITE.
Nice-Matin has more HERE.
SDIS 06 also has a photo gallery HERE.

Job finished!

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Posted by on February 6, 2011 • Filed under: fire, Fires, rescue, Rescues, Videos • Tagged: , ,

Fire-Testing Tunnel Linings

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Testing Fire Behavior on Subway Tunnel Linings in Italy

ON FEBRUARY 1 THE FIRST OF FOUR FIRE BEHAVIOR tests was held near Rome, Italy, to test two types of proposed liners designed for use in subway tunnels in Rome.  The testing is a joint program involving the Ministry of Interior – Department of Fire Brigade (Vigili del Fuoco), Public Aid and Civil Defense with the Company Srl Rome Metro.

photos via Vigili del Fuoco

The tests have as a primary purpose the study of the behavior of the fire tunnel linings, which are prefabricated castings, produced by adopting different concrete mixes that include metal and fiber reinforced polypropylene and conglomerates with particular properties of fire resistance or fire protective coatings.  Initially they are running two tests designed to make the comparison between the effects on blocks of concrete without fibers, a real fire created by a pool of hydrocarbons (heptane), and a subsequent fire with an oil burner.

A further objective of the tests, of particular interest to the fire department, is to create a fire in the tunnel and make measurements of the important parameters such as burn rate, gas velocity and temperature profiles.

These photos were taken during the first day of testing on February 1.  The second test day was scheduled for yesterday, February 4.  Two more test sessions will be conducted on February 23 and 24.  Following that, a report will be released with the initial findings of the tests.

The Vigili del Fuoco has the story HERE.
They also have posted a photo gallery HERE and HERE.

Photos via Vigili del Fuoco

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Posted by on February 5, 2011 • Filed under: Fire Rescue Topics, Fire-ology • Tagged: ,

Have You Ever Seen A Roof Like This?

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There Will Always Be a Fresh Challenge

 ON CHRISTMAS DAY THERE WAS A FIRE in the ceiling of a 5-star hotel in Reinbeck, Germany, that sent 400 guests running from their Christmas banquet in the luxury dining room.  The fire was handled ok with the damage mostly limited to the ceiling and about 900 sq. ft. of this unique roof was destroyed.

These photos published in Bild newspaper give you a good look at the very different construction of the roof tiles and they can provide you with a nice 15-minute drill in the day room.

Are you ready for one of these?

Happy 10,000th posting to all the Geezerguys!

Posted by on January 31, 2011 • Filed under: Building construction, Training, training-fire-rescue-topics

Deadly Train Crash in Germany

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Death Toll Expected to Climb

AT LEAST TEN PEOPLE WERE KILLED AND 23 more were injured, 18 of them seriously, Saturday night when a passenger train collided head-on at speed with a freight train in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany.

Bild photo

The crash occurred at 10:24 pm Saturday on a stretch of single-track and the sound of the collsion could be heard 5 miles away.  The impact threw the entire passenger train off the tracks and according to a police spokesman, the trains struck at such a high speed that the  passengers in the front of the train were killed instantly.  Only two of the ten victims had been identified beyond reasonable doubt.  The other eight dead proving to be difficult to identify because of injuries, said an investigator.

Bild

Every available emergency personnel in the region were dispatched to the scene and by 1:30 am Sunday all of the casualties had been recovered.  A police official stated that the number of deaths is expected to rise.

Bild

It is not yet known how both trains ended up on the same track, but early speculation holds that most likely one of them passed through a red signal somewhere.  Investigators from both the state police and the Federal Railway Authority are on the scene trying to piece together what happened.

This unattributed raw video was posted on YouTube:

 

Bild.de has the story plus a 21-image photo gallery HERE.

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Posted by on January 30, 2011 • Filed under: current events, Fire Rescue Topics, Mass Casualty Incident, rescue, Rescues, Videos • Tagged: ,

International Firefighters Road Race

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Firefighters From Across Europe Participate

ON SUNDAY JANUARY 23, AT CRETEIL, FRANCE, a town outside of Paris, an annual track event was held exclusively for firefighters, the “Foulees 18,” an 18 km race.  The length of the course corresponds with France’s fire emergency phone number, 18.

This year’s race commemorated the bicentennial of the birth of  the Sapeurs Pompiers (Fire Brigade) in Paris.  The event brought 1,560 participating firefighters from almost every country in Europe to the unique course that travels on paved roadway, dirt roads, and across grass.

 

And They’re Off !

The rain that fell most of the day made for slippery streets and muddy fields.

Vigili del Fuoco

Competition is between teams of up to 10 runners.  This year’s winners are from Torino (Italy) and the 2nd and 3rd place teams are from Madrid.

Vigili del Fuoco

The fastest runners were completing the course in about an hour.  A “good” time for the distance with the road conditions was around 1:20.

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Posted by on January 26, 2011 • Filed under: current events, fun, News • Tagged:

Remarkable House Explosion Kills 2

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Unusually Destructive Home Explosion

A MASSIVE HOUSE EXPLOSION EARLY THURSDAY MORNING in Germering, Upper Bavaria (Germany), completely destroyed a 55-yr.-old house and killed the two elderly occupants.

Bild.de

The fire that resulted from the blast was large and took at least two hours to put out.  Over 200 emergency workers were sent to the scene to assist in the search for the two occupants known to be inside at the time of the explosion.

Bild.de

At 4:45 am they found the body 84-yr.-old woman in the basement, buried under the rubble of the entire house.  At 11 am they found the body of her 88-yr.-old husband in another section of the basement, burned beyond recognition.

Bild.de

The house was completely destroyed.

Bild has the story and more photos HERE.
Reuters has a filed this good video report:

 

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Posted by on January 22, 2011 • Filed under: explosion, Fires, Videos • Tagged: ,

A Firefighter’s Farewell

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FRIDAY MORNING THE FUNERAL SERVICE WAS HELD for Firefighter Ermanno Fossati of Savona, Italy, who was killed while working at a traffic accident Wednesday, December 29.  He was tragically struck by another fire department vehicle on an ice road and died instantly.  (For the video report and details see Firegeezer HERE.)

photos via National Vigili del Fuoco

A large crowd of friends and colleagues turned out Friday to bid a final farewell and honor him.  The funeral mass was held in the Parish of San Lorenzo of Orco Geligno and included condolensces from the President of the Republic and the Minister of Interior.

 In addition to family, friends and colleagues, there were also present many authorities including the Chief of the National Fire Service Alfio Pini, the prefect Claude Sammut, the provincial commander of the carabinieri and the Mayors from around the district, accompanied by banners of their municipalities.

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Posted by on January 1, 2011 • Filed under: current events, Fire Rescue Topics, In the Line of Duty • Tagged: , ,

Firefighters Attacked With Homemade Bomb

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IN NICE, FRANCE, SIX FIREFIGHTERS ARE OFF DUTY today following a terrorist attack on their fire engine Wednesday night.  Shortly after 10 pm they were lured into the area by a set trash fire, then when they arrived on the scene a group of masked individuals started throwing stones at them, preventing them from putting out the fire.

After they got back inside their fire engine, one of the terrorists threw a homemade bomb at the firetruck and the explosion cause concussion injuries to all six firefighters, leaving them with a temporary loss of hearing.  They were all taken to the hospital and instructed to take at least two days off work to recover.  Four of them will be off duty for eight days.

Later that night, two 17-yr.-old boys were arrested and taken into custody while the investigation continues.  Decrying the “unspeakable act,”  Eric Ciotti, president of the Maritime Alps Fire Rescue division complained to the police and prosecutors of the continuing violence that is being leveled against the firefighters in Nice.  The Mayor of Nice, Christian Estrosi called it an “act of assassination” against the firefighters.

See Firegeezer REPORT HERE from November 13 about a FF being shot while working a set auto fire in Grenoble.

The local prefect tried to mollify the firefighters by pointing out that attacks against the FF’s in the Nice area are down 25% this year with “only” 25 cases this year so far as compared to 33 last year.

Nice-Matin has the STORY.
RTL Belgium has MORE.

Posted by on December 31, 2010 • Filed under: crime, Fire Rescue Topics, Firefighter Safety & Health, health & safety • Tagged: , , , ,

LODD in Italy

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AT 11:00 AM WEDNESDAY MORNING, ERMANNO FOSSATI, 52, died while working an auto accident after being struck by a fire department vehicle.

Fossati was at the scene of a wreck on an icy mountain road with poor visibility when a light truck-type vehicle bringing more firefighters to the scene started sliding on the  roadway and crashed into the accident scene, killing him immediately.

Ermanno Fossati, who was born in Finale Ligure (Savona) August 29, 1957, was appointed to the Vigili del Fuoco on March 22, 1984 and assigned to the Provincial Command of Imperia. On 1 January 1995 had assumed the title of team leader and from 1 August 1996 was assigned to the Provincial Command of Savona. On 1 January 2006 he was promoted to Crew Leader. He was expecting to retire in less than 4 months, on April 26, 2011. Fossati leaves his wife and two children, Richard of 22 years, a volunteer firefighter, and Doris, aged 18.

Ermanno Fossati

The local prosecutor has opened an investigation that will begin this morning when the accident team will revisit the site and he is pending charges of manslaughter against three individuals, the driver of the car who wrecked and called the FD; the driver of the fire department vehicle; and the FD supervisor who permitted the truck to respond when it was deemed unfit for snow and ice driving conditions.

This video report from IVG taken at the scene documents the challenging road conditions:

 

The Vigili del Fuoco website reports on the accident HERE.

Posted by on December 30, 2010 • Filed under: current events, Fire Rescue Topics, Line of Duty, safety • Tagged: , , ,

Fire in Hospital Leads to Partial Evacuations

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A FIRE IN A HOSPITAL STOREROOM IN FLORENCE, ITALY on Monday morning sent heavy smoke throughout the building.  In areas near the storeroom/warehouse the patients had to be relocated, some within the Santa Maria Nuova Hospital, and others transferred to other hospitals.

Inbound ambulances had to be diverted to other emergency rooms while the ER in the Santa Maria will be closed for about 3 days to get it cleaned up from the smoke.

TM News prepared this video report:


Incendio all’ospedale di S. Maria Nuova a Firenze, nessun ferito
Uploaded by Apcom-Video. – News videos from around the world. 

The fire started around 5:30 am and was knocked down by the Vigili del Fuoco easily.  But the smoky conditions required that many patients be moved. including a psychiatric wing.

Vigili del Fuoco photos

Evidence indicates that the fire was accidental, partly because the locked facility had no signs of a forced entry.  The investigators are focusing on a computer printer or a photocopier as the source.

La Nazione has the STORY.
and a 9-image photo gallery HERE.

Posted by on December 28, 2010 • Filed under: fire, Fires

Updated – Double LODD in France. Now an Arson/Murder

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UPDATE, 12:15 pm Eastern:  Case now  an arson.  Murderer might have been seen.  New info. and a video added.  Scroll down.

TWO FIREFIGHTERS IN TREILLERES, FRANCE, died Wednesday night at a commercial fire.  The two men were operating from an aerial platform at a fire in a car dealership when the platform came in contact with high-voltage electric transmission wires.

Oueste-France photo

Europe 1 is reporting this morning:

Two of our firefighters were in the platform of the ladder and they wanted to move the ladder to try to reach another point (to attack the fire),” testified Philippe Berthelot, commander of the Fire Department Loire-Atlantique .

“A thick yellow and black smoke was filling the sky at that hour of the night. They did not see the power line that was overhead and they were electrocuted.  The two attempts at resuscitation were unsuccessful,” he added.

The fallen firefighters have been identified as Sergeant Christophe Augereau, age 31, and Corporal Jean-Charles Sorin, age 25.

Update,  12:15 pm Eastern:

20 Minutes is reporting:  The fire which involves the two young firefighters killed Wednesday evening near Nantes could be of criminal origin.   ”It is unlikely to be accidental,” said the prosecutor in Nantes.  A man was spotted by the security officer of the Treillières car dealership, where the tragedy took place near 11:00 pm.   After the outbreak of the fire alarm, he would have escaped and climbed a fence.  He is being actively sought.
 
According to prosecutors, he could be held “criminally and directly responsible” for the death of Christopher, 31, and Jean-Charles, 25, both professional firefighters based at the firehouse of Saint-Herblain near Nantes.

BFM-TV has filed this video report from the scene:

 

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Posted by on December 16, 2010 • Filed under: fire, Fire Rescue Topics, Fires, Line of Duty • Tagged: , , ,

They Press the Wrong Pedal Over There, Too

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ON MONDAY MORNING IN REIMS, FRANCE, a 60-yr.-old woman was attempting to park her car when she confused the accelerator with the brake pedal.  Instead of stopping in the parking spot, she raced ahead, over the curb and straight through the front wall of a pharmacy.

L’Union

The car smashed through the display racks and plunged ahead to the sales counter where she crashed into a customer and the pharmacist injuring both.  One of the customers tells L’Union:

 I was talking with the pharmacist when all of a sudden, there was a terrible noise, like a big explosion with lots of smoke.  I turned around.  I saw a car that drove everything inside, the showcase displays.  They were thrown against the customer who was beside me and she was wedged between the car and counter.   She could not be released because she had a foot stuck.

I managed to remove everything around her and pull her out, but I could not help the pharmacist who was behind the counter and was pinned underneath with furniture.  At the time, I was very frightened because she had lost consciousness. “

L’Union

The druggist regained consciousness as the two ambulances and fire engine arrived.  She had to be dug out from under the rubble and suffered severe fractures to both of her legs.  The customer has a smaller injury to one of her legs.

L’Union

Posted by on December 15, 2010 • Filed under: rescue, Rescues • Tagged: ,

Verona Firefighters Continue a Tradition

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THIS PAST WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 8 marked the Roman Catholic religious Feast Day of the Immaculate Conception.  In Verona, Italy, the firefighters continued a tradition of long-standing of placing a floral wreath at the statue of Our Lady located on the front of the Domus Mercatorum.  This year a member of the special rescue team rappelled down the facade and placed the wreath.  The annual observance is to insure that Mary protects the firefighters for the coming year.

photos via Vigili del Fuoco

Then another squad of the SAF team placed a banner on the Lamberti tower overlooking the Piazzadelle Erbe, the city’s famous central square.

The banner was placed in collaboration with the Municipality of Verona, Department of Civil Protection, and contains a message of good wishes to all citizens and will be exhibited for the duration of the Christmas holidays.

The event was a huge success and ended with the exchange of greetings between all present.

Posted by on December 12, 2010 • Filed under: culture, current events, News, Special Operations • Tagged: ,

Laddering in Narrow Streets

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EARLY MONDAY MORNING IN TROUVILLE, FRANCE, a fire alarm was dispatched for a fire in the heart of the old city.  The response brought 7 fire departments and 33 firefighters to “The Dickens ,” a pub and rooming house where they found fire on the top floor and in the attic area.  The fire extended to the roofs of nearby buildings and damaged a house and a pizzeria.

Oueste-France

Fortunately there were no tenants in the rooming house since it is used only for temporary housing of seasonal workers.  Three firefighters were injured slightly, two from smoke inhalation and the other with a hand injury.  They were transported for treatment and released by 3 pm.

Oueste-France

The fire was believed to have started on the 2nd floor of the pub, but the cause has not yet been determined.

Oueste-France has the story and a brief video HERE.

Posted by on December 7, 2010 • Filed under: fire, Fires • Tagged:

Firefighter Assaulted in Paris Firehouse

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Firefighters were again attacked in the Paris suburb of Seine-Saint-Denis on Sunday night. The attack took place in their own fire station in Clichy-sous-Bois.  About two o’clock in the morning, three men wearing masks climbed over the gate of the emergency center,  then broke into the watch room and ransacked the premises.

A typical Parisien watch room.  SDIS 34 photo

One of the on-duty firefighters heard the noise and interceded.  He was outnumbered and received two blows in the ribs and a rifle butt in the cheekbones.  The firefighter still managed to raise the alarm by activating the general alarm throughout the building.  The three men then fled.

According to information gathered by Europe 1, a video surveillance camera filmed the scene. The images are being used by the investigators but are believed to be of rather poor quality.  The investigation is being conducted by the Judicial Police of the Seine-Saint-Denis. The prefect of the department, Christian Lambert, and General Joel Prieur, who heads the Paris Fire Brigade, visited the site.

Europe1 has the STORY.

Fireball comments on this horrid event:
All I can add about this sad story is to hope that the injured firefighter has a complete and quick recovery.  I also would like to point out the fact that in our country there is a huge problem concerning attacks on the fire service and firefighters.  Respect has disappeared.  In November alone many other firefighters have been injured while they were on duty.  This is simply a shame.  How can we tolerate this?

Posted by on December 6, 2010 • Filed under: crime, Fire Rescue Topics • Tagged: , , , ,

NSFW – Internet Cafe Ka-Boom Kills 6

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SIX SEVEN PEOPLE WERE KILLED AND ANOTHER 37 were injured when an internet cafe in southwestern China was obliterated by an explosion Saturday night.  The cafe was housed in a concrete structure underneath a bridge in Guizhou province and was filled with patrons when the blast occurred at 11:05 pm in an adjoining shop.

Reuters

The cafe was located in the downtown section of Kaili City and firefighters were challenged to get the survivors out alive from under all the rubble in the fully-destroyed business.  There were 45 people in the cafe and only one was not injured.  The popular cafe had 140 computers online and was in business for several years.

The police say that it was caused by a cache of illegally-stored explosive chemicals in a room next door to the Lianxun Internet Cafe.  Packs of highly concentrated aluminum chloride and sodium nitrite were stacked up against a wall in a shop that was illegally selling the explosives.  They have arrested a man named Wu Zhanzhi for possession of the chemicals.  The cafe’s owner Chen Chenggui and manager Xing Guangchang were also in police custody according to Xinhua, the state news agency.

Xinhua

Update:  One of the injured has died, raising the death toll to seven.  Xinhua News is now reporting that one of the injured died in the hospital a few hours ago from extensive burns.  One other vicitm is also in grave danger from extensive burn injuries.

The investigators are presently identifying the bodies of the dead, one of whom was a child. Xinhua reporters heard that middle school students were among the injured. But it was not immediately clear how many children were among the casualties.  Internet cafes are not allowed by law to receive people under 18 years old in China.

Firefighters remove the body of one of the victims.  AFP

Story compiled from several sources.

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Posted by on December 5, 2010 • Filed under: explosion, Fires • Tagged: , , ,

International Disaster Drill

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ANOTHER IN A SERIES OF MULTI-NATIONAL disaster drills was hosted by Italy this week.  The exercise labeled  ”Terex 2010” was held in Tuscany on November 25 to 28 and simulated an earthquake with an epicenter between Garfagnana and Lunigiana.

PCN

Along with the host country, there were operational teams from France, Slovenia, Croatia, Austria and the Russian Federation.  In addition there were observers from 27 European Union member states. 

A Russian disaster team was one of the participating groups.

This Italian News report shows the preparations being made for the exercise including blowing up some buildings to create the “disaster”:

 

PCN

PCN

Part of the exercise simulated the collapse of a hospital with eight people buried in the rubble.   The operational teams from Massa Carrara, Pisa, Pistoia and Lucca worked in a very realistic scenario together with Red Cross workers.

This video shows some of the teams extricating victims from one of the collapsed buildings:

 

The exercise has allowed the Vigili del Fuoco (Fire Department)  to test the degree of coordination and interaction between the various parties involved in the emergency, firefighters, volunteers of the Tuscany Region and the Municipality of Pisa. Particular attention was given to validate the use in operational scenarios, the canine units of the Volunteer Fire Department and the Tuscany region.

Several countries brought canine search units.

Operations and Control Center

The exercise was broadcast via satellite and streaming by the CDV and TLC in Tuscany.

The Vigili del Fuoco posted the story and photos on its WEBSITE.
The National Civil Defense Agency has posted four more videos and six photo galleries HERE.

Posted by on November 29, 2010 • Filed under: Major Incidents, Training, training-fire-rescue-topics, Videos • Tagged: ,

Multiple Rescues, 1 Infant Dies in High Rise Fire

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IN PARIS, FRANCE, A 9-month-old baby died in a fire on the sixth floor of a high rise apartment building Monday night. This is an old building belonging to the Land Agency and was slated for demolition as part of urban renewal.

BSPP photo

The fire broke out around 5 pm in the apartment where the baby lived. An early investigation by the police surmises that a candle could be the source of the flames which quickly spread to curtains and the upper floors via the facade. There were adults in the apartment but they failed to evacuate the child.  One hundred and thirty firefighters responded and were faced with many residents needing rescuing from balconies.

Lieutenant Colonel Pascal Le Testu, spokesman of the Fire Brigade in Paris, said that the extinguishment was difficult. “This is an old building, the facade has facilitated the quick spread of the fire and we were also faced with a leaking-gas fire on the seventh floor. “The urgency was to cut the gas supply. Firefighters deployed two ladders to rescue two people trapped. In total, five people were slightly injured, including two firefighters. The baby’s body was discovered after the fire was extinguished. The mother and relatives of the child in shock, have been supported by the rescue.

This video report from BFM-TV has some very dramatic fire footage:

 

Le Parisien has the STORY.

Posted by on November 24, 2010 • Filed under: fire, Fires, rescue, Rescues, Videos • Tagged: ,

Sergeant Desmarest Funeral

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THE TRIBUTE AND FUNERAL FOR RESCUE FIREFIGHTER Sergeant Sylvain Desmarest was held Tuesday morning in Granville, France.  Sergeant Desmarest died this past Friday in a traffic accident in his rescue truck while responding on a call.  (See Firegeezer REPORT HERE.) 

Oueste-France photo

The tribute was held in the Granville sports arena and to honor him, the Prefect of the Manche, Jean-Pierre Laflaquière and Colonel Vignon, representing all French firefighters conducted the ceremony.   During his eulogy, the Prefect pointed to the professionalism, thoroughness and seriousness of the deceased. He also praised his restraint, his demand, adding that he had been a model for the young members of the emergency service.

After the tribute the casket was placed on the tower ladder from his rescue company and, surrounded by his fellow firefighters, led the procession of several hundred people for a mile to the Church of St. Nicolas.

La Manche

At the funeral mass Sgt. Desmarest’s two children gave testimony where his son described his father as follows: “My Father the Hero” while his daughter told of her love for him.  Equally poignant was the testimony of Lepineau Didier, head of the rescue center, which referred to his friend as a firefighter irreplaceable for his human qualities.

Posted by on November 23, 2010 • Filed under: Fire Rescue Topics, Fire-ology, Line of Duty • Tagged: ,

Updated – Firefighter Killed in Firetruck Crash

1 comment

Updated, more details added and revised:

SERGEANT SYLVAIN DESMAREST, 49, OF GRANVILLE, FRANCE, perished Friday night when the firetruck he was driving was involved in a collsion with a car.  

Oueste-France photo 

 The Granville fire engine was responding to a traffic accident at 7:00 pm and it was dark and raining when they merged onto a bypass where they collided with a sedan driven by a 38-yr.old man.  The collision caused both vehcles to run off the road into an embankement where Sgt. Desmarest and Corporal Julian Hinard, 30, were both ejected.  A third firefighter, Corporal Julian Hinard, 30, emerged unhurt, but in shock.

The driver of the car was also unhurt, but shaken up.  The two firefighters who were ejected were both seriously injured and flown by helicopter to the hospital.  Sadly, Sgt. Desmarest died just as they arrived at the hospital.  None of the people involved know what caused the accident and the investigation is continuing with many witnesses voluntarily coming forward.

Sgt. Sylvain Desmarest

Sylvain Desmarest was first assigned to the Paris Fire Brigade and transferred to the rescue center in Granville in 1996.  Father of three children, he lived with his wife Yquelon.  An accomplished sportsman, he trained many young firefighters and he was upgraded in Granville to the specialty of coastal helicopter rescue diver.

A tribute will be held Tuesday morning at 10 am in the Granville sports arena.

The flag is at half-staff at the Granville fire station.
Oueste-France photo

No other information has been released, nor anything about the occupant(s) of the car.  This story will be updated if any additional information comes in.

Oueste-France has the STORY.

Posted by on November 20, 2010 • Filed under: Fire Rescue Topics, Fire-ology, Line of Duty • Tagged: , ,

Dijon Update – Arrests Made

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TWO MEN HAVE BEEN ARRESTED FOR STARTING the fire Sunday morning at a high-rise residential building that killed 7 people in Dijon, France.

AFP

Firegeezer first reported on the fatal blaze in a 9-story migrant workers hostel HERE and we pointed out that the fire had started in at least one trash bin stored under a shed roof at the base of the building.  Review the STORY  and video for the details on the fire and the evacuation  of over 130 trapped residents.

Gazette

Earlier today (Thursday) the local prosecutor announced that two men who are cousins, one age 19, have been arrested and charged with “willful destruction resulting in death,” a crime that can bring a life sentence in prison.  The were already known to the police as the setters of several trash fires over the summer months in the Côte-d’Or region.  “They admitted being present at the scene at the time of the fire and blamed each other on the fatal act. The investigation will include establishing the roles,” said a representative of the prosecutor’s office, advising that there was a “co-action. ”

One of the accused was picked up in a psychiatric hospital where he had admitted himself on Sunday.  Both of them were indicted on the willful destruction charges, but they could still have homicide charges brought against them after the results of the post mortems on the victims are completed.

L’Express has the REPORT.

Posted by on November 18, 2010 • Filed under: arson, Fires • Tagged: , ,

International Training Exercise

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ON THE NIGHT OF NOVEMBER 9 – 10, a training exercise was conducted between the Italian and French rescue services in the tunnel of the Colle di Tenda, in order to check the operating procedures laid down in the Safety Plan Binational officially adopted in 2008 by the Prefecture of Cuneo and the Alpes-Maritimes Nice.

All photos via SDIS 06 and Vigili del Fuoco

The scenario was that of a car accident in France in five cars traveling in the tunnel of the Colle di Tenda, from France to Italy with the aim of trying times and response procedures in conjunction with  French firefighters.

In previous years there have been several international exercises with the French Fire Brigade to develop a procedure for joint action to address security in a dangerous operation in the tunnel of the Colle di Tenda, considered one of the most dangerous in Europe .

The exercise began at 10:00 pm with the activation by a passing motorist of one of the alarm buttons that are located at various points inside the tunnel.  This  immediately alerted via  telephone line the emergency services both French and Italian.

The simulation was carried out smoothly and in perfect harmony with the emergency services across the Alps, allowing a rapid extrication of casualties from car wrecks.  The “death toll” was two dead and eight injured.

All relief agencies concerned, Italian and French, will meet soon in a debriefing meeting to analyze the results of the exercise and an opportunity to assess the outcome of the simulation.

The Vigili del Fuoco (Italy) website has the STORY.

Posted by on November 16, 2010 • Filed under: Training, training-fire-rescue-topics