A Seattle Times story reported on Fire Chief Gregory Dean’s explanation to City Council Friday of the circumstances that led to the deaths of five people – including four children – in an apartment fire in Fremont on June 12. While there was a malfunction that caused a delay of water on the scene, Dean’s review concluded firefighters were not at fault and that possibly the only thing that might have made a difference would have been a sprinkler system, which was not required in the building because it was built before those were required in these buildings.
Dean said this detailed review will not result in changes to the department’s firefighting protocols.
His explanation to them matched the account he told community members at a meeting July 1.
Dean told council members that mechanical problems with an engine that delayed putting water on the fire have been addressed and that mistakes made by its operator are being dealt with through training.
Both the chief and an independent analyst concluded that, while operator error contributed to the incident, the firefighters responsible acted according to their training and can’t be blamed.
Moreover, the chief reiterated that the fire that roared through the two-story town house was so intense that it is unlikely anyone could have been saved even if the engine had functioned properly.
The outcome might have been different, Dean said, had the 40-year old structure been equipped with a sprinkler system. Sprinklers have been required in new multifamily construction since 1988.
The article goes into more detail about the malfunction that prevented water from coming out of the first engine on the scene.
An investigator concluded that the problem was likely traced to a touch-activated selector that engages the pump. That unit has been replaced on all 10 similar trucks in the department, Dean said.
Dean said the driver three times tried to start the pumps, but failed each time. Each time he had to turn off the engine of the firetruck and turn off the battery, and then turn both back on.
But what he didn’t know is that he was supposed to leave everything turned off for 10 seconds to make it work.