SAFETY AND INSPECTIONAL SERVICE COMMAND
SAFETY BATTALION 2 INVESTIGATIVE REPORT
FATAL FIRE 149-0697 AVENUE DECEMBER 31,1995
VOLUME 1 JNVESTIGATION
SUMMARY ON DECEMBER 31, 1995 AT 0657, THE NEW YORK CITY FIRE DEPARTMENT, QUEENS BOROUGH COMMUNICATIONS OFFICE, RECEIVED AN E.R.S. (EMERGENCY REPORTING SYSTEM) NO CONTACT, FOR BOX 6066.
ENGINE COMPANY 303 WAS DISPATCHED TO THE BOX LOCATION IE. INTERSECTION LIBERTY AVE AND 150 STREET. AT 0701 THE QUEENS BOROUGH COMMUNICATIONS OFFICE, RECEIVED A TELEPHONE AL~RM FOR THE SAME LOCATION, REPORTING A BUILDING FIRE. THE REMAINDER OF THE FIRST ALARM ASSIGNMENT, TWO ENGINE COMPANIES, A BATTALION CHIEF, WAS DISPATCHED.
II AT 0701 ENGINE COMPANY 303 AND THE OFFICER SAW HEAVY FIRE IN BUILDING. A 10 75 (NOTIFICATION TRANSMITTED VIA DEPARTMENT RADIO. WAS 149 0697 AVE., A TWO STORY, DWELLING.
TWO LADDER COMPANIES AND ARRIVED AT BOX LOCATION THE CELLAR. REAR OF THE OF A WORKING FIRE) WAS THE ADDRESS OF THE FIRE NON-FIREPROOF, MULTIPLE FIRE DEPARTMENT OPERATIONS WERE INITIATED, ENGINE COMPANIES STRETCHED AND OPERATED HOSE LINES AND LADDER COMPANIES PERFORMED THEIR VENT, ENTRY AND SEARCH DUTIES. LIEUTENANT CLANCY, WHILE SEARCHING FOR EXTENSION OF FIRE FROM THE CELLAR TO THE FIRST FLOOR, STEPPED INTO FIRST FLOOR DOORWAY, SIDE ENTRANCE AND THE FLOOR COLLAPSED UNDER HIM. LIEUTENANT CLANCY FELL INTO THE CELLAR AND HEAVY FIRE AREA.
LIEUTENANT CLANCY WAS REMOVED FROM CELLAR BY FIRE AND WAS TRANSPORTED TO JAMAICA HOSPITAL WHERE HE DIED AS ,A RESULT OF HIS INJURIES ON DECEMBER 31, 1995
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
BUILDING DESCRIPTION
THE BUILDING,149 06 97 AVENUE, IS LOCATED ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF 97 AVENUE 125 FEET WEST OF 150 STREET. IT IS A 20 BY 7S FOOT, CLASS 3, NON-FIREPROOF (ORDINARY CONSTRUCTION), RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURE, 21 FEET IN HEIGHT. THE STRUCTURE CONTAINS 4 APARTMENTS ( TWO PER FLOOR ) AND A CELLAR. THERE IS AN OPEN WOOD STAIRWAY IN THE FRONT OF BUILDING, RIGHT SIDE, GOING TO THE SECOND FLOOR AND AN ENCLOSED WOOD STAIRWAY, SAME LOCATION,GOING TO THE CELLAR. THERE IS A SECOND STAIRWAY IN THE REAR PORTION OF THE BUILDING, ON THE LEFT SIDE,GOING TO THE SECOND FLOOR AND AN ENCLOSED STAIRWAY, SAME LOCATION, GOING TO THE CELLAR. THE BUILDING IS SEPARATED FRONT TO REAR BY AN UNPIERCED WALL. TWO APARTMENTS IN THE FRONT AND TWO APARTMENTS IN THE REAR. THE CELLAR IS CONNECTED FRONT TO REAR. THREE STAIRWAYS SERVE THE CELLAR, TWO FROM THE INTERIOR AND ONE FROM THE EXTERIOR IN THE REAR. IT APPEARS THAT THE BUILDING IS ABOUT SIXTY YEARS OLD. AT THE TIME OF THE FIRE THE BUILDING WAS VACANT. THE CONTENTS OF THE .! BUILDING WAS LIGHT IE. ACCUMULATIONS OF RUBBISH AND SOME FURNITURE.
THE MISHAP
THE FOLLOWING OF EVENTS WAS RECONSTRUCTED FROM INTERVIEWS, EXAMINATION OF PHYSICAL EVIDENCE AND INFORMATION SUPPLIED BY THE INVESTIGATORS OF THE BUREAU OF FIRE INVESTIGATION.
ON DECEMBER 31, 1995 AT APPROXIMATELY HRS TWO PEOPLE, WHO WERE LIVING IN THE CELL&~ A VACANT BUILDING, AWOKE TO FIND A FIRE IN THE CUBICAL THEY WERE SLEEPING IN. THEY STATED THAT IT PROBABLY STARTED FROM A HOMEMADE CANDLE, WHICH SPREAD TO A QUILT ON THE WALL. THEY ATTEMPTED TO PUT OUT THE FIRE BUT WERE UNSUCCESSFUL. THEY RAN OUT OF THE BUILDING AND LEFT THE AREA AND DID NOT TURN IN THE ALARM.
AS THE FIRE DEVELOPED, IT EXTENDED TO THE CEILING, OPEN WOOD JOIST. THE HEAT, SMOKE AND FIRE GASES THEN TRAVELED HORIZONTALLY TO THE ENTIRE CEILING, IN THE REAR • PORTION OF THE CELLAR AND VERTICALLY UP THE INTERIOR STAIRWAY, PIPE RECESSES AND OTHER OPENINGS IN THE CEILING, TO THE FIRST FLOOR.
THE INTENSITY AND DURATION OF THE FIRE CAUSED THE STABILITY OF THE FIRST FLOOR TO BECOME WEAKENED. AT THE SIDE ENTRA.T\JCE, JUST INS DE THE DOORWAY, WAS A TERRA COTTA AND CONCRETE LANDING, ABOUT 3 FEET BY 3 FEET AND 4 TO 6 INCHES THICK. THE FIRE BURNED OUT ALL OF THE SUPPORTING MEMBERS UNDER THIS LANDING, LIEUTENANT CLANCY STEPPED ON THIS LANDING AND HIS ADDED WEIGHT CAUSED THE LANDING TO COLLAPSE INTO THE CELLAR, TAKIKG LT. CLANCY WITH IT. LT. CLANCY APPARENTLY STRUCK HIS HEAD AS HE FELL INTO THE CELLAR CAUSING EITHER UNCONSCIOUSNESS OR SEVERE DISORIENTATION.
CAUSES DIRECT
LIEUTENANT CLANCY WAS OPERATING IN A HAZARDOUS POSITION ON FLOOR ABOVE THE FIRE.
LIEUTENANT CLANCY WAS EXPOSED TO HEAT, SMOKE AND TOXIC FIRE GASES FOR APPROXIMATELY 10 MINUTES WITHOUT THE PROTECTION OF A SELF-CONTAINED BREATHING APPARATUS.
LIEUTENANT CLANCY WAS WEARING HIS SCBA BUT WAS NOT WEARING HIS FACE-PIECE.
LIEUTENANT CLANCY FAILED TO ARM HIS PASS DEVICE.
INDIRECT
A FINDING OF THE AUTOPSY DISCLOSED THAT LIEUTENANT CLANCY RECEIVED A BLUNT IMPACT TRAUMA TO THE LEFT SIDE OF HIS FOREHEAD. THIS INJURY MAY HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO LIEUTENANT CLANCY'S FAILURE TO ESCAPE FROM FIRE AREA.
DELAYED TRANSMISSION OF ALARM. WITNESS STATEMENTS INDICATE THAT THE FIRE BURNED APPROXIMATELY 15 MINUTES BEFORE FIRE DEPARTMENT UNITS ARRIVED
HOSE BUTTS SNAGGING ON THE BUILDING AND ACCUMULATIONS OF RUBBISH DELAYED ENGINE 298 IN THEIR STRETCH TO THE REAR. THIS STRETCH WAS NOT LONG ENOUGH TO GO TO THE REAR AND THEN TO SIDE ENTRANCE WHERE LIEUTENANT CLANCY FELL INTO FIRE AREA.
LARGE ACCUMULATIONS OF RUBBISH IN THE CELLAR IMPEDED ADVANCEMENT OF ENGINE 303 HOSE LINE.
LARGE CEMENT BLOCKS ON EXPOSURE 2 SIDE OF BUILDING OBSTRUCTED THE HOSE STRETCH OF ENGINE 275.
BUILDING WAS VACANT FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME AND WAS EXPOSED TO THE ELEMENTS. THIS LED TO SEVERE DETERIORATION OF THE BUILDING.
PERSONAL PROTECTIVE PMENT WORN BY LIEUTENANT CLANCY WAS NOT DESIGKED TO PROTECT THE MEMBER AGAINST THE EXPOSURE OF HEAT AND FLAME IT WAS SUBJECTED TO. 34 I I. MASONRY SET CERAMIC TILE FLOOR SECTION THAT FAILED I WAS SUPPORTED BY LIGHTWEIGHT BUILDING ELEMENTS.
EARLY
FAILURE OF FIRE DEPARTMENT UNITS TO FOLLOW THE PROCEDURES AS OUTLINED IN THE FIRE PREVENTION MANUAL, CHAPTER 7 VACANT BUILDINGS.
FAILURE OF FIRE DEPARTMENT UNITS TO FOLLOW THE PROCEDURES AS OUTLINED IN AUC 288 - MARKING OF VACANT BUILDINGS.
SQUATTERS WERE LIVING IN THE BUILDING AND IT WAS FREQUENTED BY DRUG USERS AND PROSTITUTES
RECOMMENDATIONS
THE DEPARTMENT SHALL HAVE MEMBERS COMPLY WITH THE VACANT BUILDING SYMBOLS AS SHOWN IN AUC 288. THEY SHALL REINFORCE THE MEANING OF THESE SYMBOLS ON THE COMMISSIONER'S NEWSLETTER, THE DEPARTMENT ORDERS AND AT DIVISION CONFERENCES AND COMPANY DRILLS.
DEPARTMENT SHALL INSURE THAT ALL NEW SCBA PURCHASED SHALL HAVE THE PASS ALARM INCORPORATED INTO THE REGULATOR, SO THAT THE PASS IS ARMED WHEN THE MASK IS TURNED ON. THIS INTEGRATED PASS ALARM ALSO SHOULD HAVE A VISIBLE INDICATOR SHOWING WHEN THE ALARM IS ACTIVATED.
REINFORCE ON THE COMMISSIONER'S NEWSLETTER AND THE DEPARTMENT ORDERS THE NECESSITY FOR USING THE PASS ALARM. SINCE THE DEPARTMENT STARTED USING THE PASS ALARM, THEY HAVE BEEN FOUND IN THE ARMED POSITION ONLY ONCE AT A FIRE INVOLVING A FIREFIGHTER FATALITY.
THE CIDS SYSTEM SHOULD BE UTILIZED TO KEEP TRACK OF VACANT BUILDINGS. THE DATE THE BUILDING WAS ORIGINALLY FOUND VACANT, THE BUILDING MARKINGS, SQUATTERS AND DRUG LOCATION ARE EXAMPLES OF SOME INFORMATION THAT CAN BE RECORDED ON CIDS. STRUCTURAL WEAKNESS SUCH AS WEAKENED ROOFS, TRUSS ROOFS AND TILE FLOORS CAN ALSO BE RECORDED.
ESTABLISH A LIAISON AT THE POLICE PRECINCT LEVEL CONCERNING VACANT BUILDINGS. THE PURPOSE OF THIS LIAISON WILL BE TO GAIN INFORMATION ON VACANT BUILDINGS SUCH AS KNOWN DRUG LOCATIONS/SQUATTERS AND OTHER PERTINENT INFORMATION.
WORK EXPERIENCE PROGRAM (WEP) PEPSONNEL CAN BE UTILIZED BY THE DEPARTMENT TO IDENTIFY AND BOARD UP VACANT BUILDINGS.
REQUEST INCREASED FUNDING FROM THE CITY ADMINISTRATION TO HASTEN THE DEMOLITION OR REFURBISHING OF VACANT BUILDINGS.
MASONRY SET CERAMIC TILES ALSO KNOWN AS "PENNY TILES" GIVE THE APPEARANCE OF BEING STRUCTURALLY SOUND. NORMALLY, THEY ARE SUPPORTED BY LIGHTWEIGHT STRUCTURAL COMPONENTS. WHEN THESE COMPONENTS ARE SUBJECT TO FIRE, THEY FAIL RAPIDLY. MEMBERS CAN BE MADE AWARE OF THIS CONDITION BY SHOWING THEM VACANT BUILDING SITES DURING MULTI UNIT DRILL AND BUILDING INSPECTION.
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