Remembering Canarsies Bravest

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From "The Secret List" http://www.firefighterclosecalls.com

REMEMBERING CANARSIES BRAVEST:

Many of you recall December 18, 1998, when 3 FDNY Firefighters from Ladder 170 in Canarsie (Brooklyn) were killed in the Line of Duty at a high rise fire. Lt. Joseph Cavalieri, FF Chris Bopp and FF Jimmy Bohan died on the 10th floor of a "fireproof" multiple dwelling on Vandalia Ave. whose sprinklers had been shut down prior to the fire.

At 0454 hours Brooklyn transmitted box 4080 for a top floor fire at 17 Vandalia Avenue in the Starrett City development. The large area complex is located on Brooklyn's south shore. The 10 story 50 x 200 fireproof building is used as a senior citizen's residence. Engine 257 and Ladder 170, both quartered in the Canarsie section of Brooklyn, were 1st due and arrived within 4 minutes. Upon arrival, fire was showing from 2 windows. The 2nd and then 3rd alarms were quickly transmitted. At FDNY, the 1st due ladder company (which was L-170) searches the fire floor. Lt. Cavalieri, and FF's Bopp and Bohan went up the 10 flights of stairs with extinguishers and tools to rescue the resident in apartment 10-D, who was reported trapped. She escaped previously, but that was not known at the time.

NOTE: When the occupant escaped, she left the apartment door open and the air from the hallway fed the fire and blew out the windows. The halls were equipped with sprinklers but were deactivated at the time (See reports below). As the FF's arrived at the door, a sudden change in the wind direction forced an estimated 29-MPH wind gust into the apartment, and created a 2,000 degree fireball into the hallway. The 3 Firefighters just had enough time to get a Mayday out. The high heat asphyxiated them and burned their masks off of them. Despite the best efforts of other Firefighters and EMS, all 3 were pronounced dead at the hospital. Also injured in the fire were 6 other fire fighters and 4 residents.

NIOSH Report:

http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/fire/reports/face9901.html

From FDNY BC Frank Montagna:

http://www.chiefmontagna.com/memorial/memorial.htm