Stamford Fire Kills Five

[SFRD372 43]

An early Christmas Day fire has killed two adults and three children in the Shippan section of Stamford, CT. The fire was reported just before 5am. Stamford Mayor Michael Pavia has just stated in a brief new conference that there were five deaths as a result of the fire. The fire was located at 2267 Shippan Avenue.

[SmokeEatter40 8]

Our deepest heartfelt condolences go out to the Family and Responders who were at this dreadful fire this Christmas morning.

[BFD389RET 112]

The Stamford Advocate coverage and NBC 's coverage is here:

http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/article/Five-dead-in-Stamford-fire-Christmas-morning-2424549.php#photo-1968863

http://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/local/Five-Dead-in-Christmas-Morning-Fire-136202648.html?abc

Edited December 25, 2011 by BFD389RET

[gklein4 18]

Very Tragic my heart aches for all involved

[nfd2004 750]

My Sincere Condolunces go out to the Family and Friends of this very Tragic event.

I'm sure those Stamford (Ct) Firefighters did everything they could to attempt to try and save those people. But sometimes things are beyond our control no matter what we do. And for those family and friends, and those Stamford Firefighters, Christmas will NEVER be the same.

[sfrd18 360]

Such a sad, terrible Christmas. One of the most tragic events for the city of Stamford and the Stamford Fire Rescue Department. Living not to far away, it really hits home. "There probably has not been a worst Christmas day in the city of Stamford," Mayor Pavia calls the tragedy. The family had just moved in this past summer. Initially, there were reports of children trapped and firefighters couldn't get to the five victims due to heavy fire conditions, but Stamford's bravest did everything in their power to save them. Two other occupants(adults) and one firefighter transported to Stamford Hospital for injuries. The fire is under investigation.

My heart and condolences go out to the family, friends, the SFRD, the Stamford Police Department, and Stamford EMS on this horrific, heartbreaking day. May their souls rest in peace.

[PFDRes47cue 653]

What a terrible tragedy for all involved. May everyone touched by the incident find strength to work through the rough times. RIP.

[E112 12]

My deepest condolences go out to the victims' family and friends. What a horrific Christmas. God Bless and RIP.

[ex-commish 490]

May they all rest in peace and I am sure this was a tough one all the responders in Stamford but I am confident they did all they could.

[peterose313 345]

saw on Fox 5 earlier they plan on hosting a news conference at 5 pm tomorrow. They now know the cause of this and the male who passed in the fire had played Santa at Sax Fifth Avenue in Manhattan the last few years.

[Jp1234 2]

Various news stations are reporting that the fire was possibly sparked by embers from disposed fireplace ashes.

[Geppetto 31]

Special team to help firefighters cope

John Nickerson, Stamford Advocate

December 26, 2011

...Roach said the sessions will be held by a special team from the New York City Fire Department. "They offered, and we gladly accepted their offer," Roach said of the FDNY team....

http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/policereports/article/Special-team-to-help-firefighters-cope-2425992.php

[FFPCogs 863]

Mine and my family's hearts and prayers go out to the family and friends of the victims. What a senseless tradgedy. To the guys at SFRD, SPD and SEMS my best wishes to you all as you deal with this horrific fire and it's aftermath. I know a good many of you and have had the good fortune to have worked with many of you at home. I know beyond any doubt that you all did all that could be done, thank you for those efforts. Having worked jobs in which chlidren and families have perished I know how hard that can be, but I cannot in any way fathom having such a thing happen on Christmas. If there is anything I or my family can do please don't hesitate to ask.

For any out there who may be thinking of Monday morning QBing this incident..., back off and be thankful it wasn't you that had to deal with this horror.

God bless all of you who worked the job and thank you.

Cogs

[peterose313 345]

House has been torn down

[jack10562 414]

Thoughts and prayers for all.

I wholeheartedly endorse utilizing critical incident stress management especially for those exposed to the tragedy first hand.

Someone may think they're OK, but having the incident fresh in everyone's mind is the best opportunity to hold a debriefing.

For many, just having been at a scene like this is sufficient to create elevated stress, even if they didn't witness the fatalities, and it's a perfectly normal reaction. First responders are generally thought to be tough professionals but It's important to deal with the stress as soon as possible.

The mental images one has will never, ever, go away, it just has to be addressed and understood.

[efdcapt115 1,511]

*Badger, who escaped the inferno at her Connecticut mansion, wasn’t told that her father died trying to save one of his granddaughters. Their bodies were found just inches apart on either side of an open window.

*No funeral arrangements have been made yet, but the grandfather, Lomer Johnson, and grandmother, Pauline Johnson, will be buried in Newfoundland, Canada.

*On the day before his death, Lomer Johnson — in full Kris Kringle regalia — thrilled kids visiting the flagship Saks Fifth Avenue store in Manhattan in the ninth-floor children’s department.

“A little girl went up to his manager at Saks and said, ‘You’re so lucky to work here. I’ve been to Macy’s, but that’s not the real Santa Claus. You have the real Santa Claus,’”

*Wade Johnson the son, recounted his father’s devotion to children and his second career as a Santa for hire.

“He was the best I ever knew,” Johnson said. “He loved kids, and he was magic with them.”

http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/madonna-badger-spared-details-fire-killed-3-daughters-amp-parents-article-1.997268

A salute to Mr. Lomer Johnson. A tear for Ms. Madonna Badger and the extended family. A prayer for these children taken so young, and an elderly couple the Johnsons, whose last act on earth would be one of heroism and selflessness.

[SageVigiles 1,194]

Thoughts and prayers for all.

I wholeheartedly endorse utilizing critical incident stress management especially for those exposed to the tragedy first hand.

Someone may think they're OK, but having the incident fresh in everyone's mind is the best opportunity to hold a debriefing.

For many, just having been at a scene like this is sufficient to create elevated stress, even if they didn't witness the fatalities, and it's a perfectly normal reaction. First responders are generally thought to be tough professionals but It's important to deal with the stress as soon as possible.

The mental images one has will never, ever, go away, it just has to be addressed and understood.

Article in the Stamford Advocate today says an FDNY CISD Team will be going up to assist, as well as SRFD's Chaplain. Glad to see the guys will be getting the support they need.

[IzzyEng4 427]

Very sad, no words can describe. One gentleman that I recently went to FO-1 class with works out of Engine 4, I do not know if he was on shift. My thoughts to the family and the brother and sisters of SFRD.

Chief: Grandfather died trying to save girls

Staff reports

Updated 04:19 p.m., Tuesday, December 27, 2011

STAMFORD -- As the fire was sweeping through his daughter's home at the tip of Shippan Point early Christmas morning, Lomer Johnson tried to pull one of his three granddaughters to safety.

Acting fire Chief Antonio Conte said Johnson made a "valiant effort" to bring the girl out of a window in the rear of home, but Johnson, a former safety chief at a Kentucky liquor company, was overwhelmed by the intense blaze and died along with his granddaughters and wife. His daughter and a male companion survived.

http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/local/article/Chief-Grandfather-died-trying-to-save-girls-2426661.php

It appears that the cause of the fire were hot embers improperly disposed of. Stamford just had a press conference

http://www.wtnh.com/dpp/news/fairfield_cty/shippan-ave-stamford-fire-cause.

[jack10562 414]

What is so incredibly sad is there is speculation that there were no working smoke detectors in the house, which was undergoing substantial renovations.

You can never have too many working smoke detectors.

[sfrd18 360]

9-1-1 and Dispatch/Fireground Audio

Apparently, the contractor disposed of embers from the fireplace inside the renovation area of the house on the 1st floor, rear.

An absolutely senseless tragedy.

[engine968 8]

Like so many fatal fires, it just didn't have to happen, if the adults in the house would have used their heads...... And yes, it's inexcusable not to have temporarily placed a few battery powered smoke detectors during the renovations while the hardwired system was out-of-service.

Good transcript of the radio tapes.