In the afternoon of March 29th, 2007, Toronto Fire received a 911 call
for the report of smoke visible from a two-story detached residential home with
further reports of people still inside.
Rescue 225 arrived and announced a
working fire visible with Rescue 224 beginning the search for occupants.
Pumper 223 crew went to the second floor to search for the two people.
A 2nd Alarm was announced to bring in more resources.
After being on the second floor for a few minutes conducting a primary search for occupants,
Pumper 223 reported flames visible.
Fire had traveled up from the basement, and was now starting to go
into the roof. Temperatures began to soar with fire
rapidly escalating, as the Firefighters continued to desperately trying to locate
two people reported to be inside. Under extreme heat conditions and as flames
began to consume the second floor room, Pumper 223 Captain activated his
personal alert system reporting trouble.
Seconds later, with fire rolling over their heads,
the crew of Pumper 223 had to make a rapid escape.
What was happening in there?
Obviously you guys went in... the fire came up from the basement and it got
pretty hot and we had to get a quick. You were what, the first guy?
First guy out, got out feet-first and got stuck and
blocked these guys from getting out so
So, what's going through your mind?
I got to get out of here cause I'm hot outside, they gotta be real hot inside so
What was going through your mind?
Why can't I get out and, just like how we're going to get out of here because
what had happened is the flame came from the basement; it had rolled over in the ceilings
so at that point, we knew it was time to get out.
We got to the window and we were jammed and couldn't get out. So I pushed my emergency button
which the other crews responded. Mark bailed out the window; took off his SCBA
and my RIT training, which is Rapid Intervention Training kicked in. I came down
head-first which is the way the trained us to do it, and that allowed Jeff to come out behind me
cause he was stuck. The three of us were stuck and it was getting very, very, hot.
So Jeff you're the third guy, you're the last guy
I was bringing up the rear and it was hot
it was a hot fire. We went in and
did the initial search and then
went back in with the hose line
we discovered flames coming up the wall, I hit the flames
maybe, fifteen-twenty seconds and
then it rolled over on top, over the roof and that's when we decided to get out.
After a thorough search of the house, the two occupants were
found not in the home, but had already made it outside and we're in the
backyard. Four Firefighters were injured that day, but thankfully due to the rapid
intervention training, they escaped with only minor injuries.