Old Buildings Wall-to-Wall

A DIFFICULT FIRE IN HECHINGEN, GERMANY, Monday evening destroyed a centuries-old home in the town center and heavily damaged four others before the firefighters could put a stop on it.  The ancient town is noted for its extremely narrow streets and alleys that are the only access to many of the buildings.

The fire alarm was sent at 4:45 pm and the Hechingen Feuerwehr found smoke showing from the top floor and three people trapped and waiting at windows for rescue.  While more engines and three additional aerials were being dispatched to the town, Hechingen's tower-ladder removed the two men at one of the windows and a 78-yr.-old woman who was at another 3rd-floor window.

The firefighters went to the upper floor to attack the fire, but the false ceilings began falling on them and the entire  circuit of live electric wiring dropped down on them causeing one to receive a heavy shock.  As the fire began running the attic and spreading to the neighboring structures, the fire commander ordered the fire building to be evacuated.  Extreme sub-freezing temperatures were also causing hose stream runoff to immediately freeze over.

This on-the-scene video report from TV24 includes some good fire footage:

With the arrival of help from other fire brigades, a perimeter was set up to contain  the fire which was then breaking through the roofs.  When it was put out several hours later, five buildings had been destroyed or heavily damaged.

Spray and runoff were immediately freezing over  (SWP)

The fire brigade remained on the scene through the night taking care of hot spots and daybreak saw the arrival of a crane to tear down the remains of the fire building and begin debris removal.  Investigators hope to be able to begin looking for the cause sometime today (Tuesday).

SWP

Full news reports are included in Schwarzwaelder HERE and SWP  HERE.

Thanks to Christian Lewalter of Feuerwehr Blog.

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Passenger Van Involved

A PASSENGER VAN CARRYING MIGRANT WORKERS was struck broadside by a flat-bed truck Monday evening at a rural intersection near Stratford, Ontario, in the far southeastern portion of the Province.  The collision killed ten people in the van and the driver of the truck.  Three people have survived and are hospitalized.

CTV image

The accident occurred around 5 pm and was caused by the van that passed through a stopsign into the path of the truck.  The impact drove the van into the side of a nearby house.

Rescuers cut off the entire side of the van to extricate
the 13 passengers, many wearing seat belts.  (Toronto Star)

Currently the police do not yet know if the van simply drove through the stopsign or did stop first and then pull out, unaware of the approaching truck.  The deceased drivers of both vehicles will have blood samples taken for alcohol testing.  The passengers of the van were all migrant workers from Peru who are employed at a nearby chicken farm.

The wreckage of the truck's tractor testifies to the violence
of the collision and the certainty of the driver's failure to survive.
(Toronto Star)

Linda Rockwood, chief of the Perth County EMS. said seven ambulances responded to the crash, along with OPP Perth County police officers and Shakespeare volunteer firefighters.

CTV has the STORY.
The Toronto Star has a video report from the scene HERE.
The Globe and Mail has MORE.

Thanks to Matt W.

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"When one thing goes wrong …."

A CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, MAN GOT STUCK IN AN ELEVATOR Sunday night.  When the firefighter who was able to reach him got the victim onto another car, it became stuck and both of them were trapped and in need of freeing.

The Chicago Tribune encapsulates what happened:

Firefighters were called to the Park Monroe Condominiums, 65 E. Monroe St. about 9:15 p.m. to rescue a man who was trapped in a stalled elevator between the 21st and 22nd floor of the 49-story building, said Chief Kevin McGregor, a fire department spokesman.

WGN-TV

A firefighter went up in another elevator in an adjoining shaft, exited through the ceiling hatch to get to the other elevator's hatch to transfer the trapped man and bring him down.

But after the transfer was made, the second elevator stalled and wouldn't come down, McGregor said.

Firefighters considered breaking through a brick wall to get into the elevator through the shaft and using ropes to bring the trapped men out, but didn't have to after an Otis Elevator Co. engineer was able to reset the elevator switch from the roof, put it in "inspection mode" and operate it manually, McGregor said.

It turned out that an electrical problem was causing the system to malfunction.

WLS-TV posted this brief video report where you get to see the building and some flashing lights:

Firegeezer adds his 2¢ worth:  If you are wondering why they didn't just open the car doors and exit onto the nearest floor the way you're trained to, it appears to have been an express elevator serving the upper floors of the 49-story building.  Therefore it was probably an enclosed shaft on the lower half prohibiting an access through the door.

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No Chance to React

THE FRANKLIN TOWNSHIP, PENNSYLVANIA (near Erie) FIRE CHIEF and Assistant Fire Chief were traveling to a training session at 7 pm Thursday evening when a car coming the opposite direction crossed the center of the roadway and struck them head-on.

David Flint  (WICU-TV)

The crash killed Chief David Flint and seriously injured Asst. Chief Sharon Petri.  The driver of the other car, Joshua Nickerson, 29, was treated for minor injuries and released.

The Erie Times-News adds:

Flint was taken to UPMC Hamot, where he was pronounced dead at 8:14 p.m. An autopsy conducted Friday determined that Flint died of blunt-force trauma to the trunk, Erie County Coroner Lyell Cook said.

WFXP-TV

Flint was not wearing a seat belt, state police said. A passenger in Flint's car, 40-year-old Sharon C. Petri, of Edinboro, also was unbelted, police said. Petri was taken from the accident scene to UPMC Hamot. She was listed in fair condition on Friday, a hospital spokeswoman said.

Nickerson was taken to Hamot for treatment of moderate injuries. He was later released from the hospital. Nickerson was wearing a seat belt, police said.

Flint had been the fire chief for six years.

WJET-TV has more plus a good video report HERE.

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Four Firefighters Included in Injury Count

Update, 9:30 am Eastern:  Alcohol said to be determining factor.  Scroll down.

CHICAGO FIRE DEPARTMENT ENGINE 62 was involved in a collision Tuesday evening around 6:23 pm that injured ten people including four firefighters.  The engine was responding to a medical call when it approached an intersection and slowed to look for traffic.  All cars in the intersection had stopped, so the pumper proceded into the intersection.  Without warning or reason, one of the stopped cars suddenly started forward and pulled into the path of the fire engine causing a destructive collision as the engine T-boned the right side of the car.

WSBT-TV image

The two adults and three children in the car were all trapped and had to be extricated.  They were all transported in serious condition.  A sixth passenger was only slightly injured.  The four firefighters were also transported in good to fair condition.

Police are investigating and still trying to find out why the 18-yr.-old driver suddenly started driving the car when he did.  The intersection is controlled by a 4-way stop sign.  Some witnesses say that the engine had its lights on, but they did not hear the siren.

WLS-TV prepared this video report from the scene:

Chicago Tribune has the STORY.
The Sun-Times has more plus photos HERE.

Update, 9:30 am Eastern:
The Chicago Tribune is now reporting that alcohol is suspected to be a contributing factor in the crash.  The Tribune writes:

Authorities say they suspect alcohol played a role in the collision between a Chicago fire truck and a carload of people in the Far South Side that injured 10 people.

None of the victims — including three children and four Chicago firefighters — suffered life-threatening injuries when the truck, responding to a fire call, collided with a mid-size sedan at Halsted and 128th streets, police said. A female passenger did suffer a broken neck, authorities said.

One source said the sedan's driver, a man, had a blood-alcohol level over the legal limit. A second source said police were seeking felony charges against the driver. Both sources requested anonymity because they weren't cleared to discuss the matter publicly.

A police spokesman said he was awaiting further information and declined to comment.

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Fiery Crashes Kill at Least 10

A MIXTURE OF MORNING FOG AND SMOKE FROM A BRUSH FIRE caused zero-visibility conditions on I-75 south of Gainesville, Florida, Sunday morning.  Within minutes after 3:30 am a series of chain collisions began in both the northbound and southbound lanes of the Interstate highway with many of the vehicles catching on fire and burning up. 

Gainesville Sun

The Associated Press tells:

Steven R. Camps, 23, of Gainesville, said traffic stopped along the northbound lanes because of heavy smoke and fog. "You couldn't see anything. People were pulling off the road," he said.

Camps said he and his friend began talking to a man in the car stopped next to them about the road conditions, when another vehicle hit the man's car.  Camps said the man's vehicle was crushed under a semi-truck stopped in front of them. Camps said his car was hit twice, but he and his friend were able to jump out. They took cover in the grass on the shoulder of the road.

"You could hear cars hitting each other. People were crying. People were screaming. It was crazy," he said. "If I could give you an idea of what it looked like, I would say it looked like the end of world."

Gainesville Sun

He said cars and trucks were on fire and they could hear explosions as the vehicles burned.

"It was happening on both sides of the road, so there was nowhere to go. It blew my mind," he said. "It was like a war zone. It literally looked like someone was picking up cars and throwing them."

Gainsville Sun

The State Police told the press that when the first police, fire and EMS units began arriving, the smoke was so thick that they had to proceed on foot and head toward the moans and screams of the victims to locate them.

Fox News reports that photographs of the scene revealed a gruesome aftermath, with twisted, burned-out vehicles scattered across the pavement and smoke still rising above the wreckage. Cars appeared to have smashed into the big rigs and, in one case, a motor home. Some cars were crushed beneath the heavier trucks.

Reporters who were allowed to view the site saw one tractor-trailer that was burned down to its skeleton, charred pages of books and magazines in its cargo area. Bodies were still visible inside a burned-out Grand Prix. The rubber on the tires of every vehicle had burned away, leaving only steel belts.

Gainesville Sun

State police estimated that wreckage was strewn for nearly a mile in both directions.

The Gainesville Sun has the story and a 67-image photo gallery HERE.

Fox News provided some raw video of the aftermath:

Several dead in multiple crashes on I-75: MyFoxORLANDO.com

Hat tip to Mark D.

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Drove Into Fire Engine's Path

AN 80-YR.-OLD WOMAN WAS KILLED SATURDAY when her car was struck broadside by Denver, Colorado, Engine 22 as it was responding to a house fire.

KMGH-TV image

Witnesses all told police that same story, that the firetruck had the green light at the intersection and was traveling at a reduced speed when the woman drove through her red light and directly into the engine's path.  The engine's driver had no chance to avoid the collision and struck the car right at the driver's door.

KDVR-TV image

The fire engine pushed the car about 30 yards along the street and clipped two other cars along the way.  The firefighters immediately went to the aid of the woman who had to be extricated before they could begin CPR on her.  Unfortunately she arrived at the hospital DOA and was pronounced there.  None of the passengers in the other two cars were injured.

9News posted this video report from the scene:

KMGH-TV has the details HERE.

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Familiar Technique

LADDER RESCUE TECHNIQUES in the Far East are not much different than in the West.  This video taken on Wednesday in the central Chinese city of Yueyang was at a major fire in a 3-story apartment building.  The only other information that came with it is that the woman is over 70 years old and is paralyzed.

 
Ils sauvent d'une mort horrible une handicapée by Zoomin_France

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Sleeping Couple Unhurt

TA / Lemuth

A FLASH-FREEZE IN THE STUTTGART, GERMANY, area Thursday evening caused chaos on the highways and more than 300 accidents.  The most unusual wreck was a freight truck that suddenly slid off the road in Meiningen and jacknifed into a house with the truck cab crashing through a bedroom.

Bild

The 42-yr.-old truck driver was ejected from the cab during the crash and died on the scene from his injuries.  The man and wife who were sleeping in the bedroom were unhurt.

Dieter and Heike Bohme, the unhappy but lucky couple
who were sleeping just feet away from the truck.  (Bild)

The house was left unstable and ready to collapse.  A police spokesman said that the house would have to be shored up and made safe before they could even try to move the truck away.

Bild

Bild has the STORY.

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Police on the Scene With a Ladder

A 90-YR.-OLD WOMAN WAS RESCUED from her blazing apartment by a passing soldier, a crew of policemen and two neighbors Tuesday evening.

The woman's kitchen was ablaze and she first tried to put it out herself without success.  As the fire spread into her apartment, her escape was cut off and she could only retreat to her balcony.  The smoke was visible from a nearby police station and several officers responded immediately to the scene where they commandeered a ladder from a craftsman's work van.

While the soldier started scaling the ladder, the others went inside to try an incursion into the apartment, but were unable to get inside.  They then went down one floor and came out on the balcony below the fire apartment.  The soldier and a policeman going up the ladder were accompanied by two young men from the neighborhood and they all combined to make the dramatic rescue seen on the home video:

The comments on the video are bystanders repeating that the fire brigade is too slow arriving.

The old woman was severely stricken with smoke inhalation and was rushed to the hospital.  The fire brigade arrived soon after and removed another six victims with their tower platform. 

All photos via L'Alsace

The fire was extinguished with one hose line, but three apartments were burned while two more on the floor below had water damage.  Eight people were treated for smoke inhalation.

The rescuer, Corporal Dmitri Higelin, 22, is recently returned from four years in the army where he served in Afghanistan.  He says he is ok with just some minor burns on his legs.

Dernieres Nouvelles d'Alsace has the STORY.

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