Charleston Mourns Its Fallen Firefighters

South Carolina City Remembers Nine Men Killed In Massive Furniture Store Blaze

(CBS/AP)  One coached football when he wasn't fighting fires. Another cut hair at a barbershop. Yet another was known for quoting the Bible. They called each other nicknames like "Squirrel" and "Lightning."

On Tuesday, this city on the South Carolina coast mourned them all: nine firefighters killed inside a burning furniture store in the nation's worst loss of firefighters since the 2001 World Trade Center attack.

"They did exactly what they were trained to do," fire Chief Rusty Thomas said.

"We've lost nine of our best friends. We've lost nine of our best firefighters," Thomas told CBS' The Early Show Wednesday, adding that he was privileged to have such a "personal bond" with his staff.

They went into the burning building on Monday in search of two employees who had been reported to be trapped inside.

One employee made it out. The other, Jonathan Tyrell, said he banged with a hammer, hoping someone would find him, and a firefighter was eventually able to pull him out.

"I hugged him and told him 'thank you' over and over," Tyrell told The Early Show.

The cause of the fire at the Sofa Super Store was under investigation, though arson was not suspected.

The blaze apparently started in an outdoor trash bin, then quickly engulfed the store and its adjacent warehouse as firefighters tried to put down the flames, The Post and Courier of Charleston reported Wednesday. As it spread to the building, a door blew open and the flames swept in.

"We tried to close the door, but we couldn't," Charleston Assistant Fire Chief Larry Garvin told the newspaper.

He said firefighters started bringing in hoses, but they didn't stand a chance as the sofa and chair material ignited. The men were spread out in teams when the roof collapsed, Charleston Fire Capt. Jake Jenkins told the newspaper.

The rows of sofas and mattresses were stacked five and six high on racks in the cavernous warehouse, a corrugated-metal structure next to a gas station.

[linfinster]

They should have had sprinkler's! What was it worth in savings, even if it wasn't required?? It's a furniture store??? What did they think a fire would do in that place?! Those lives are gone! I'm so sad and angry! My heartfelt sympathy's to all friends and family. They should have put sprinkler's in .. hindsight is 20/20.

[iceman_1960]

"President Bush said in a statement the firefighters were "true heroes who demonstrated great skill and courage. Their unwavering commitment to their neighbors and to the city of Charleston is an inspiration to all Americans."

Well said.

They were true heroes.

[omega39-2009]

Although I am also saddened by the untimely deaths and the grief that the firemen families will endure, I also wonder why the emotional outpouring and full court press coverage is virtually nonexistent when one of our troops meets an untimely end in Iraq or Afghanistan.

[dukeudevil]

Hang in there, Charleston.

[barbaraf4]

"Although I am also saddened by the untimely deaths and the grief that the firemen families will endure, I also wonder why the emotional outpouring and full court press coverage is virtually nonexistent when one of our troops meets an untimely end in Iraq or Afghanistan."
Posted by omega39 at 09:00 AM : Jun 20, 2007

Very well said, omega39.

[barbaraf4]

"They should have had sprinkler's! What was it worth in savings, even if it wasn't required?? It's a furniture store??? What did they think a fire would do in that place?! Those lives are gone! I'm so sad and angry! My heartfelt sympathy's to all friends and family. They should have put sprinkler's in .. hindsight is 20/20."
Posted by linfinster at 08:32 AM : Jun 20, 2007

It is my understanding that sprinkler's are required to bring a building to code and save tons on insurance (I could be wrong or naive or both); however, if you own a business and you choose not to install sprinklers, then you need a way to track which employees are on site at any given time. Then, you don't have nine men dying because they are chasing a rumor of another employee in the building.

[papergrl]

Sorry, Omega39 - I guess having daily coverage of the war and the troop losses isn't enough to qualify as full court press coverage. I've seen plenty of stories about towns all over America who have lost more than their fair share of soldiers and the body count is usually the first bit of news we're exposed to in the morning. I mourn those losses daily and to suggest that the American public does not take notice is insulting.

Firemen walk into danger every day without press coverage or political talking heads squabbling over their fate. Let small town heroes be honored without throwing politics in, please.

[mbievtea]

God Bleas Them ... but someone should ask the question ... WHAT WERE THEY DOING INSIDE A BURNING BUILDING (FROM ACCOUNTS IT WAS REALLY, REALLY BURNING)WITH NO ONE INSIDE? WHAT BUSINESS DO THEY HAVE BEING INSIDE?

[papergrl]

Sorry about the accidental double post. Thought I beat the publish button to edit my thought better...still, my point is made.

[BlueInWI]

These men are the finest examples of true public servants. They made the ultimate sacrifice and for no other reward than an income to support themselves and their families, along with deep personal satisfaction. We should consider this every time we badmouth government and praise the corporate private sector where a CEO that leads Yahoo so poorly he is forced to resign earns $71,000,000 / year in salary.

Or when we look to private for-profit no-bid contractors such as Halliburton to solve our problems. I wouldn't want to depend on Halliburton to pull me out of the towers on 9/11 or come in to a smoldering furniture store to save friends or family.

The private sector is a great thing; but its needs have to be BALANCED with those of society as a whole. Over the past almost 30 years we have slanted dangerously in the other directions where profits and the greed of the few outweigh the needs and best interests of the many.

1980 - 8.1% of annual total income in the US earned by top 1% of wage earners

2006 - 17+% of annual total income in the US earned by top 1% of wage earners.

Some people just never have enough... while others are working harder for less and less. Our founding fathers didn't want to build another plutocracy/aristocracy like Britain, but a society where everyone had an equal opportunity to excel...

[papergrl]

mbievtea - To answer your question, they went in to rescue a company employee who was reportedly trapped.

[omega39-2009]

guess having daily coverage of the war and the troop losses isn't enough to qualify as full court press coverage.
Posted by papergrl

The daily full court press coverage you speak of (for our fallen troops)is usually two or three lines in a bulleted section at the end of a story on Iraq. There are no pictures, no mention of those left behind, no stories of kids raising money with lemon aid stands, and no national fund at BofA to donate to. These may be covered in the fallen soldier's home town paper but I assure you, 3000 miles away, the coverage is zilch.

[scredcross]

As a first responder to the scene at the Sofa Superstore in West Ashley I can attest that these firefighters, police officers, and many other volunteers are all heroes... I have a little story to share... one that you might not hear about... this fire was so huge that the American Red Cross were running out of food and water for the rescue workers... Going to many fires and rescue searches, this is a necessity that many don't think about... in my mind their are two other heroes that night... the Grocery store manager from Wal-Mart in West Ashley who donated water and Gatorade for the firefighters after the Red Cross used up almost all of their supplies... another hero is the Owner of the Chick-Fil-A's in West Ashley... He saw the fire on the news and knew he could help... He went to his restaurant and cooked over 200 chicken sandwiches for the exhausted firefighters who had been fighting the flames all night... It was a blessing to see this man walk up to the scene with food for these heroic men and women. Other company%u2019s also helped and we, (Charleston) are very grateful for their help and generosity... Other restaurants like Krispy Kreme Doughnuts and Dunkin' Donuts also brought coffee and doughnuts for the firefighters that were still out on the scene... So if you stop into any of these establishments please tell them thank you for helping look after the first responders of Charleston, South Carolina... God Bless.

[noaanhc]

And when they get to heaven

To St.Peter they will tell

Firefighters reporting for duty sir

We served our time in hell

[papergrl]

Omega, the point I made is that YOU are not the only person acknowledging the losses overseas and to suggest otherwise is wrong. We are ALL aware of it EVERY DAY...but these firemen's lives are no less important than the soldiers'. Whether you're protecting lives overseas or here at home is irrelevant, sacrifice is sacrifice. Focus your angst over the war on another more appropriate forum - and let these men get their due.

[hmmagain]

' ben franklin was an idiot, she sent the bucket brigade home to read her farmets' alvanac and left them there sleeping with pitch forks afraid to leave the house and afraid to stay in it and paying taxes and fees to the affluent with promises of a more well tomorrow '

' if life was an epic quest to cure the common death, perhaps we'd invest in minimum wage folk dancing get well soon feed the world songs and canvassing everything all the tiem, alas it is an epic quest to cause the common death, therefore we invest in maximum wage folk dancing get sick soon tax the world songs and canvasing nothing '

' a kid lookd out and promised to build an eternity and a god looked in and promeised to keep it safe and secure '

[craash1]

MBIEVTEA - they were in the building because they were told there were people in there, it was there job (and their choice) to make every effort to find them. That is what firefighters do! God Bless the Charleston 9 and their families!!

[richdog_57]

Sacrifice is sacrifice, whether it is a police officer, fire fighter, or a soldier.

[barbaraf4]

"These men are the finest examples of true public servants. They made the ultimate sacrifice and for no other reward than an income to support themselves and their families, along with deep personal satisfaction."
Posted by bflong at 09:42 AM : Jun 20, 2007

Many small towns in the US, unable to afford their own fire departments depend on the Volunteer Fire Fighters. In our town all the fire fighters, including the Chief are volunteers. We nickel and dime, hold fund raisers, and apply for grants to purchase and maintain up to date equipment; however, the money is simply not there to hire the 25 men who leave their jobs or get out of bed in the middle of the night to fight a fire. For each fire attended, they earn $8.00 from the City. I am convinced that this simply puts them on the liability insurance. My husband is one of these men. The night before last, he got out of bed for four separate calls. They train continually and the department is 96% certified. I am told these are good statistics.

[mommy2jad]

My prayers go out to the families of these brave firefighters. Mu husband is a firefighter and at times I wish he had picked another career but this is what makes him happy. When it comes to saving someone's life they don't think twice about going in. May God bless their souls

[last121868]

To the firefighters family and friends: I am very sorry for your tremendous loss.

sevenpesos: I don't care for Bush much myself, but your incessant babbling is quite annoying. You may want to think about GETTING A LIFE!

[shoujoboy-2009]

It truly is sad when people who do a great service to the people pass in such a tragic way. I am rather disturbed though at how firefighters die and we are inundated with tragic stories and retrospectives of individuals lives, yet when 5 troops die in Iraq from a roadside bomb they are only mentioned by a number inbetween Paris Hilton stories. Their deaths equally tragic and far too early, yet only deserving of a blurb with stock footage of the war. Agreeing with the war or not is a moot point, all people who serve here at home or abroad deserve our equal sympathies.

[bkylws]

seven-pesos

What could your tirade possibly have to do with loosing 9 public servants? Would it have been more tragic if it had happened north of the Mason-Dixon line?

[nmyhappyplc]

Sacrifice is sacrifice, whether it is a police officer, fire fighter, or a soldier.
Posted by richdog_57 at 12:49 PM : Jun 20, 2007

Thank you - very well said. Can the community, locally or nationally, just mourn the loss of these brave people and celebrate the lives they led without leading a political agenda?? May God bless and comfort the families during this difficult time.

[macktruck22]

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[macktruck22]

WWW.FELONYMILLS.COM THERE POSTING INFO AND LINKS TO SITES WITH INFO ON BAZAR STORIES. THAT'S WWW.FELONYMILLS.COM

[boston1954]

I mourn those losses daily and to suggest that the American public does not take notice is insulting.
Posted by papergrl at 09:38 AM : Jun 20, 2007

Well said! Just because you do not hear the entire population weeping does not mean that we aren't.

[boston1954]

mbievtea - To answer your question, they went in to rescue a company employee who was reportedly trapped.
Posted by papergrl at 09:45 AM : Jun 20, 2007

Reminds me of Worcester. We lost 6 and there was no one in that building either.

[boston1954]

The news just said that there WAS a young man in the burning building. I did not see that yesterday.

[ezola-2009]

First I would like to extend my deepest sympathy to the families of the 9 Charleston firefighters families. My thoughts and prayers go out to you. I am a firefighters wife of 27 years and my heart aches.

To those of you who do not fully understand a firefighters duty and questions the fact of saving a "Business". Understand, When a firefighter heres "there may be someone inside" they go in. There heart is to, serve, save and protect. That's what they do.

From a Firemans Wife, West Columbia, S.C.
God bless and comfort the famlies at this VERY difficult time.