A firefighter died Wednesday inside a burning commercial building in downtown Buffalo, New Yorkwhere a fire and sudden explosion sent flames and smoke into the street.
Video taken by bystanders showed fire crews outside the building being knocked over and engulfed in a cloud of ash, then flailing around to regain control of the spray hoses. The fire commissioner William RenaldoHe said the fireball was likely caused by a draft, which he said occurs when oxygen “is sucked into the building and then comes back.”
The firefighter was reported missing shortly after crews arrived at the building, which housed a theatrical costume shop. Renaldo explained that the situation deteriorated rapidly and firefighters had to evacuate to escape from the collapsing interior.
“The rest of our firefighters on the scene were able to evacuate safely and unfortunately he couldn’t,” he told an evening news conference.
The firefighter’s identity was not immediately released.
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they had hopes
Rescuers initially hoped the missing firefighter would be found alive as crews tried for hours to reach the place where he was believed to be trapped. Finally, the scene turned grim and the firefighters stopped, while an ambulance drove away from the scene.
Mayor Byron Brown confirmed the death Wednesday afternoon.
“I am deeply saddened to report that a member of the Buffalo Fire Department lost his life while bravely fighting the four-alarm fire on Main Street in downtown Buffalo today,” he said in a statement. “I ask everyone to keep the family and fellow firefighters in your prayers.”
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Brown ordered the flags on city buildings to be lowered to half mast.
The cause of the fire is still being investigated. Renaldo said workers were using torches on the exterior of the building before the fire and that heat may have transferred through bricks or mortar to the interior and ignited paper or other fuels.
“It seems like a possibility that the fire was smoldering for some time inside the building before anyone noticed,” he said.
The building is owned by former US representative Chris Jacobs and it was being renovated. Brown said inspectors determined after the fire that it was unstable and would be demolished immediately.
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