Firehouse.com

On Nov. 15, 2008, while doing overhaul in an abandoned house, a Detroit firefighter was killed when the roof collapsed.

NIOSH investigators who probed the incident said in a report released today that an inadequate summation of the risks involved in a vacant structure as well as inadequate accountability were among factors that led to the death of Walter Patrick Harris Sr., 38.

They also noted that no ambulance or EMS personnel were on the scene. They were called only after the roof collapsed, and firefighters were trapped.

NISOH officials also quoted an NFPA study that showed between 1998-2007, vacant structure fires claimed 15 firefighters. Also,during a four-year period, 4,500 personnel were injured annually battling blazes in abandoned buildings.

The Detroit firefighters had operated in a defensive mode to battle the blaze that early morning of Nov. 15. When the bulk of the fire was out, the victim and others went into the house to hit hotspots.

"The incident commander reported hearing a loud crack and saw the fire fighters (sic) on the roof hanging from the aerial ladder," according to the report.

That's when the incident commander requested an ambulance; and learned it would be on the scene in about seven minutes.

The rest of the overhaul crew managed to free themselves, and started looking for the victim. They had to cut through layers of roofing materials to extricate him, the NIOSH investigators said.

Harris was rushed to the hospital where he was pronounced dead. Death was attributed to asphyxiation.

Following an extensive investigation, NIOSH listed the following as contributing factors:

• Dilapidated conditions of the building.


• Incendiary fire originating in the unprotected roof structural members.


• Inadequate risk-versus-gain analysis prior to committing to interior operations involving vacant/abandoned/derelict structures.


• Inadequate accountability system.


• Lack of a safety officer.


• Inadequate SCBA maintenance program and poorly maintained and likely inoperable PASS device.


• Ineffective strategies for the prevention of and the remediation of vacant/abandoned structures and arson prevention.

NISOH officials also documented that Detroit has a growing number of abandoned buildings that pose significant dangers to firefighters.

To prevent similar incidents, they also made the following recommendations:

• Ensure that the incident commander conducts a risk-versus-gain analysis prior to committing to interior operations in vacant/abandoned structures and continues the assessment throughout the operations


• Ensure SOPs are developed for fighting fires in vacant/abandoned buildings


• Ensure that the incident commander maintains close accountability for all personnel operating on the fireground


• Ensure that a separate incident safety officer, independent from the incident commander, is appointed at each structure fire


• Ensure that a respiratory protection program is in place to provide for the selection, care, maintenance, and use of respiratory protection equipment, including PASS devices.


• Ensure that an EMS unit is on scene and available for fire fighter emergency care at working structure fires


• Develop inspection criteria to ensure that all protective ensembles meet the requirements of NFPA 1851, Standard on Selection, Care, and Maintenance of Protective Ensembles for Structural Fire Fighting and Proximity Fire Fighting


• Be aware of programs that provide assistance in obtaining alternative funding, such as grant funding, to replace or purchase fire equipment that can support critical fire department operations.