Almost three weeks after a fatal Fremont apartment fire that claimed the lives of four children and one adult, Seattle Fire Chief Gregory Dean explained to about 30 members of the community at Fremont Baptist Thursday night, what happened that morning — including the malfunction that caused the first engine to arrive not to pump water — and reiterated the importance of fire prevention.
After such a tragic fire, Dean said, the Seattle Fire Department’s takeaways include the importance of early notification, communication within the community and other preventative measures.
“We’d like takeways. We want to find ways to learn from this tragic event we all experienced,” he said. “Our role is to save lives. This has an impact on everybody.”
But it was apparent the scars from that event won’t go away anytime soon. Neighbors who witnessed the fire expressed anger and frustration, still, at the time it took for the fire department to get water on the June 12 blaze.
“I think angry words were thrown, and I think I threw them,” said one woman, who did not identify herself except to say she was a neighbor who has witnessed not only this fire, but another one at the same apartment, same complex, two years ago. “I do publicly apologize. But I have serious questions and concerns. I was there for the whole thing. I still have wounds on my legs.”
Chief Dean’s narrative of what happened did not reveal any major revelations not already made public. This accidental fire started on the first floor. Someone woke up Helen Gebregiorgis, who went to a closet and found a smoldering mattress, left against a lightbulb that had been left on. She went to the windows to clear out the smoke - which in turn, created a chimney effect. The smoke alarm was ringing the entire time, but then she heard an explosion — Dean said likely an aerosol can or windows breaking — and she went outside with one child.
“Fire spreads quickly,” Dean said.
The other 4 children (ages 13, 7, 6, 5) and their aunt, Eyerusalem Gebregiorgis, 22, sought safety in a second floor bathroom.
The first engine to arrive on the scene saw “heavy, black smoke” and drove past the building, both to make room for the ladder and medic units on the way and to gauge access to the building on the other sides. Engine 18 had 500 gallons of water but a malfunction — which was later found to be a worn transmission control pad — prevented it from being used. Hooking up to a fire hydrant - which has much less pressure than the equipment on the engines - would not have been feasible.
The building, which was a triplex built in 1988, before requirements for sprinkler systems.
Firefighters who pressurized the apartment next door to the one burning found that the second layer of sheetrock was too hot, so they chose not to break through and risk spreading the fire to the rest of the complex. At this point, the fire burned at about 2000 degrees Fahrenheit. They and other firefighters on the scene, Dean said, were unable to see anybody.
Helen Gebregiorgis, he said, was unable to get back into the building, even though that was her intent. The first calls to 911 were made at 10:04 a.m. The first engine arrived at 10:09, with the second arriving at 10:12, which is when Dean estimates water first hit the flames.
SFD’s Public Education Director Lisa Van Horn urged the community to update smoke alarms, form escape plans and practice them.
“The most likely place for you to experience a fire is in your home, and the most likely victim is a child,” she said.
Mayor Mike McGinn, Fire Marshal John Nelsen and members of the responding SFD units were also at the meeting.
2 responses so far ↓
1 Concerned Citizen // Jul 2, 2010 at 7:56 pm
My heart goes out to the family of the fire victims of this horrific tragedy. In my opinion it is inappropriate to blame the Seattle Fire Department for this outcome. What is important is to educate families and learn from this whole thing. I am proud of the Seattle Fire Department, which is one of the best in the nation. This department successfully responds to numerous calls every day. I respectfully disagree with the citizens who blame the Seattle Fire Department in this tragic apartment fire. It is easy to point the finger when you are a spectator on the sidelines. These same concerned and angry citizens should spend some of their energy donating their time to expanding the fire awareness project. I pray that the family will soon find peace and comfort.
2 Cynthia // Jul 30, 2010 at 5:24 pm
I am the person in the photo. My name is Cynthia. I have lived here for 23 years.
The timeline is incorrect as are most if not all of the material facts as presented by the Chief.
I do hold the FD responsible for the loss of the five lives, six if the unborn baby at, almost 6 months gestation, counts.
If only the responders had their gear on, had leadership, walked around back with a ladder within the first five minutes, and/or got the second truck to pump water in a timely manner, the victims would have been saved.
I am disgusted at what I see as a cover up by the FD and believe it was wrong to show up in the second fire truck on tax dollars the following day with a flower to looky loo.
I do’t care how many slam me or what I saw and believe, I will go to my grave knowing those people should not have died.
The victims were in the upstairs bathroom, door closed, on the west side of the bldg, on an outside wall. A hole could have been made to extract them without causing more chimney effect.
The first two on the scene didn’t so much as ask about the origin of ignition or the location or number of trapped human beings even though they did say they knew there were people inside.
I was restraining Helen from reentering the unit and she did knock us down twice, that’s where the bruises and scrapes came from as well as the scratches on my arms from her desperate struggles to get to her loved ones.
I work with the trades, which include fire safety crews, and I know very well what should have happened while I remain shocked at what actually transpired.
If you were not there then find fault all you want, I am far from and ignorant bystander. I was present for the fire in the same unit two years ago and the FD had to drive around the block that time.
Fire safety includes changing batteries twice a year and replacing smoke alarms every ten years. Fire drills and plans should be part of every families routine on a regular basis, in addition all homes should have a working fire extinguisher centrally located on each floor that is regularly serviced and which all family members old enough should know how to use it.
I have photos of all claims I have made regarding the response and I am truly ashamed that what I used to think of as the finest FD in the USA fell down so badly on June 12th.
I have long been a huge fan and supporter of the FD and now that is gone forever!
I used to volunteer regularly at Seattle Public Schools, donate to our SFD, and helped to raise money and awareness about the need for safe and new fire houses. While I will remain active in the volunteer area the SFD will no longer be the recipient of my donations.
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