LODD:Summit Township, Michigan Firefighter Killed in Fire

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Summit Township, Michigan Firefighter Killed in House Fire  

Associated Press

SUMMIT TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) -- A firefighter died Thursday morning after he was trapped in a burning house for at least 30 minutes. Three other firefighters were treated for injuries.  

Summit Township Fire Capt. Scott Thornton was pronounced dead at Foote Hospital, the Jackson County sheriff's department said.  

Firefighters responded to the fire shortly after 7 a.m. Thornton, a 19-year veteran, was found in a second-story bedroom above the garage.  

The cause of the fire was being investigated.  

Thornton joined the Summit Township fire department in 1986 and was promoted to captain in 1997. He was the third generation in his family to be a firefighter.  

The home's occupants were OK. A man got out safely and his wife already had left to exercise, The Jackson Citizen Patriot reported.  

The brick house was destroyed.  

Summit Township is located about 40 miles south of Lansing and about 80 miles west of Detroit.  

[Guest]

Sad news...... thoughts and prayers go to the family and friends of Capt. Scott Thornton.

I'm curious to see the results of the investigation.

[Guest]

The purpose of this post is not to engage in "Monday morning quarterbacking". It is to try to understand how we can better survive a dangerous situation in order to avoid the tragedy that took place.

There is definitely an internal conflict that goes on between, not letting your air supply alarm panic you and, realizing that you've got 5m to get out. You're told by some that when the bell sounds you've got to find a way out ASAP but, others will tell you 5m is a long time, time to maybe find a victim or search an extra room...

Since every situation is different, every FF's reaction will be different. Is it all relative???

Events combined fatally for fire captain

BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS  

February 3, 2005

A nonworking smoke alarm and the lack of a thermal-imaging camera might have been factors in the death of a Jackson County firefighter, Michigan State Police investigators say.

Detective Sgt. Ken Hersha of the State Police fire investigation unit said Summit Township fire Capt. Scott Thornton, who died Jan. 20 while fighting a fire, also chose to ignore an alarm that told him his air supply was running low.

"It's quite loud. There's no mistaking it," Hersha told the Jackson Citizen Patriot for a report Wednesday.

The findings are the first independent probe of the fire. The state Occupational Safety and Health Administration is conducting a separate investigation.

Investigators said that Thornton and Firefighter Brian Ledford entered the burning home together.

They were trying to find the source of the fire, which was difficult because the smoke alarm had been disabled while the home was being renovated.

When Ledford's air-supply warning sounded, giving him five minutes to exit, Thornton guided Ledford to the doorway. Thornton then re-entered with Firefighter Brian Terry, who reported hearing Thornton's air-supply alarm.

Thornton called in a distress signal, but he was using a channel on his radio that could only be heard from central dispatch, so it took longer for his colleagues at the scene to find him. Half-inch-thick double pane windows also hindered the rescue effort. An autopsy found that Thornton died of smoke inhalation.

A thermal-imaging camera, which Summit Township had been planning to purchase this year, could have targeted the smoldering fire's hot spots and helped Thornton find his way out, Hersha said.

Hersha said Thornton's death was caused by an unfortunate mix of factors.

Summit Township Fire Chief Michael Hendges said Thornton wasn't the type to disregard safety warnings.

"Obviously, Capt. Thornton thought he could stretch his air supply a little longer to try and find the source of the fire ... with tragic results," Hendges said.

Thornton, 39, was married and had two children. He was the first firefighter to die on the job in Jackson County in 23 years.