Two fallen firefighters remembered for saving 2 lives in blaze

Two Kansas City, Missouri, firefighters are dead and two are injured after a burning building collapsed on them Monday evening.

Fire Department Battalion Chief James Garrett advised the Kansas City Star (like fishing://tad.best suited/1jtHduK ) that this developing was at already greatly injured once firefighters got here.

“They did not die in vain”, KCTV reported him as saying.

Chief Paul Berardi said that the collapse occurred after the building had been evacuated.

Berardi said the cause of the fire did not appear to be suspicious but that a response team from the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives would help with the investigation.

Hall said many of his firefighters trained alongside Kansas City firefighters, but departments across the county are affected whenever something like this happens.

He said he was proud of the professionalism the rest of the firefighters displayed at a time of tremendous sadness and shock. One was treated and released Monday. “Our condolences go out to the loved ones of those who made the ultimate sacrifice today, and we pray for recovery of the injured”, James said.

Hall said a Springfield firefighter has not been killed in the line of duty since the 1940s, and that is fortunate considering the size of the department.

When the wall collapsed, it pushed debris out 30 feet from the building, trapping four firefighters, Berardi said. “We join the families, friends and colleagues of firefighters Larry Leggio and John Mesh in mourning their loss”. Our particular thanks go to KCPD, and Truman Medical Center as well as other partner agencies who work with us daily to serve and protect Kansas City for their efforts throughout the night to console and assist us.

Streets in the area remained closed to traffic late Monday night while fire crews continued to fight the flames. Ross said. “They did hands on training with us and we brought it back here and implemented it here for our people”.

“For me, personally, this really hits home”, Hosmer said, “having a father be a firefighter for 29 years”.