- Author
-
Duckett, D. C.
- Title
- Structural Collapse at Dwelling Fire Results in Two Firefighter Fatalities Stockton, California, February 6, 1997.
- Coporate
- Varley-Campbell and Associates
- Sponsor
- Federal Emergency Management Agency, Washington, DC
- Report
-
USFA-TR-102
February 1997
28 p.
- Distribution
- FOR additional copies of this report CONTACT: U.S. Fire Administration, 16825 South Seton Ave., Emmitsburg, MD 21727. The report and the photographs in color are available.
- Keywords
-
building collapse
|
residential buildings
|
fire fighters
|
fire fatalities
|
decision making
|
fire suppression
|
fire departments
|
structures
|
rescue
|
protective equipment
- Identifiers
- fire origin and cause; Personal Alert Safety System (PASS) devices; Stockton, California, Thursday, February 7, 1997
- Abstract
- Two firefighter fatalities and one civilian fatality occurred in a single family residential dwelling fire. The second floor addition collapsed during suppression operations, trapping the firefighters. A captain was also trapped under the debris, sustaining serious injuries, but was later successfully rescued. On Thursday, February 6, 1997, The Stockton Fire Department responded to twelve 9-1-1 calls reporting a large fire. The first firefighters on the scene at 4:16 a.m. found what appeared to be a one story home in flames. Because of the small lot size, a perimeter fence and a crowded driveway, there was very limited access to the sides and rear of the home. The constraining perimeter and heavy volume of flames at the rear of the home made it difficult to view the back of the house. The elderly female resident was reported to still be inside the home, so an interior attack and search for the victim ensued. Firefighters moving towards the rear of the home were unaware of the existence of a second story addition, which was not visible from the front of the house. The addition, which was inadequately supported by its first floor construction, subsequently collapsed, pinning two firefighters and a captain under heavy rubble.