On 25th Anniversary Of 1 Meridian Inferno, New Stories Of Heroism
By Walt Hunter
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- On Tuesday at noon, there will be a moment of silence at Local 22 Fire Union Headquarters remembering the three firefighters who died in the February 24, 1991 12-alarm inferno that consumed much of the 1 Meridian High Rise, opposite City Hall.
In a CBS 3 TV Exclusive, a new first-hand account, details the heroic actions of scores of firefighters as they desperately tried to save three members of Engine Company 11, trapped on the burning upper floors of the high-rise.
Retired Battalion Chief Mike Yeager told CBS 3's Walt Hunter how his team of eight searchers became lost themselves on the upper floors, nearly running out of air before they were found and lifted from the building by helicopter, the crew haunted by radio calls for help from the lost firefighters.
"'The captain's down, were out of air, we need help,' and then there was nothing," Yeager explained.
"We were trapped in there and didn't know what we were going to do."
After landing in the helicopter, Yeager explained the firefighters, who had just escaped, strapped on new "air paks" and climbed 30 flights of steps to resume searching for the lost firefighters, who were found hours later on the 28th floor.
The retired Chief says he is continuing his efforts to save firefighters lives working with the Department's Employee Assistance Program (EAP) to raise awareness about the problem of firefighter suicides driven by Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome.
Meanwhile, Local 22 President Andrew Thomas says fire safety regulations in high rise buildings have tightened over the past 25 years. Sprinklers, which covered only some of the floors at 1 Meridian, are now mandatory in all new buildings and Thomas says firefighters, city officials and building owners are working closely together to make sure all building fire safety system are ready for emergencies.