Nine Firefighters Killed in Charleston Store Fire

[NoMyths]

This happened last night just down the road from my place -- a friend was telling me last night about how the road was shut down and how large the fire was, but didn't know anyone was hurt until this morning. Terrible story, and my thoughts go out to the families of the firefighters and employees.

Link: 'Tornado of Flames' Kills Nine Firefighters

Full Text:
CHARLESTON, South Carolina (AP) -- Nine firefighters died in a blaze that swept through a furniture warehouse in a disaster the mayor described Tuesday as "difficult to fathom or quantify."

"Nine brave, heroic, courageous firefighters of the city of Charleston have perished fighting fire in a most courageous and fearless manner, carrying out their duties," Charleston Mayor Joseph P. Riley said at a morning news conference. "To all of their loved ones, our heart goes out to them."

Overnight, firefighters saluted as the bodies of their colleagues were taken from the warehouse.

Riley said the county coroner planned to disclose the names of the dead. He said the cause of the fire was under investigation.

The fire broke out about 7 p.m. Monday in the Sofa Super Store and warehouse, forcing officials to close off part of a nearby roadway.

Witnesses said the store's roof collapsed, throwing debris over about two-dozen rescue workers. Onlookers were hit with flying ash.

"It was like a 30-foot tornado of flames," said Mark Hilton, who was struck in his eye.

Riley said he believed all of the store's employees escaped. At least one worker and two firefighters were taken to the hospital.

Daniel Shahid, a salesman at a nearby car dealership, said firefighters came in asking for towels.

"The next thing you know, we were carrying hoses, directing traffic, everybody from the dealership," he said.

Shahid said he saw firefighters rescue four people from the building. "They were struggling. They were covered in black soot. They looked scared out of their minds," Shahid said.

Riley called the firefighters heroes. "This is a profession that we must never take for granted," the mayor said. "There's a fire raging and they go toward it."

[hawk4669]

I'm a career firefighter (Fire Captain) in California. I'm actually at my station right now getting ready to go off duty at 8 am. Though we're in California, we carry heavy hearts knowing that 9 of our brothers made the ultimate sacrifice today/last night.

Like my Engineer said, it's tragic that it takes an incident like this to remind everyone how precious life is, and how dangerous our profession is.

I'm far from a religious man, but if you are, say a prayer for the firefighters and their family(s), and give them a thought or two today.

With a heavy heart.....

Hawk

[NoMyths]

And the updated story with details on the firefighters: http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/06/19/cha...ire/index.html

It feels really strange that this happened in my neighborhood.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Just ... wow

My dad was a volunteer fireman (in an area that had no other kind) for nearly 20 years, so I know a bit about what they go through. My brother-in-law is also a regular volunteer, just got back from the wildfires in S. Georgia, and recently became certified to teach at the state fire academy, so there's still someone in the family who could just as easily have been a part of this kind of story.

It's horrifying, it's frightening, and it leaves me rather speechless to even consider. Prayers to all those affected are most certainly in order.

[Easy Mac]

I was at that store last week. We were thinking about getting a different sofa for our new place...

[NoMyths]

I guess this isn't as big a story nationally as it is here, but our town is in mourning. The funeral procession is going on right now (which you can watch here), and I wasn't able to make it in to work today because they shut down the interstate (and all of my routes to work -- as I mentioned, this happened in my neighborhood, and the procession went through it; I was three cars from the interstate before they shut it down and I had to go home).

It's a tragedy that won't be forgotten in Charleston, and my heart and thoughts are with the families of those heroic men, as well as with my city in its sadness.

[Huckleberry]

I guess this isn't as big a story nationally as it is here, but our town is in mourning.

This is a huge story nationally. It's on the front page of nearly every news service.

Terrible tragedy.