(Updated
June 22, 2007) -- Nine fire fighters in Charleston, South
Carolina, died June 18 in a tragic furniture warehouse fire.
“We
have lost nine members of our family in this horrific fire,” says IAFF General
President Harold Schaitberger. “As fire fighters, we know the risks of answering
the call, but it does not lessen our pain when the worst happens.”
The fire broke out about 7:00 p.m. June 18 in the Sofa Super Store and
warehouse. Witnesses said the store's roof collapsed, throwing debris over about
two-dozen rescue workers.
The nine fire officers and fire fighters have been identified as Captain William "Billy"
Hutchinson, 48; Captain Theodore M. "Mike" Benke, 49; Captain Louis Mulkey, 34; engineer Mark
Kelsey, 40; engineer Rodney Bradford "Brad" Baity, 37; assistant engineer Michael
French, 27; fire fighter James "Earl" Drayton, 56; fire fighter Brandon
Thompson, 27; and fire fighter Melven Champaign, 46.
Baity was treasurer of Charleston Local 61.
The cause of the fire is under investigation. The IAFF will continue to update this story as information
becomes available.
The IAFF has established THE IAFF CHARLESTON FIRE FIGHTERS JUNE 18 FUND
to provide financial assistance to the families of the nine fire fighters who
lost their lives in Charleston, South Carolina, on June 18, 2007. Contributions
to this fund, which are not tax deductible as charitable contributions, can be
mailed to the following address:
THE IAFF CHARLESTON FIRE FIGHTERS JUNE 18 FUND
c/o IAFF General Secretary-Treasurer’s Office
1750 New York Avenue, Suite 300
Washington, DC 20006
Cards and flowers can be sent to:
Charleston Fire Department Headquarters
46 ½
Wentworth St.
Charleston, SC 29401
Charleston Local 61 web site
Visitations and Funerals
Visitation and funeral information for the three IAFF members who died in
Charleston on June 18 is as follows:
Visitation for Brad Baity will be Friday, June 22 from 5:00-7:00 p.m. at
West Ashley/Stuhr Chapel, 3360 Glenn McConnell Parkway, Charleston, SC 29414.
The funeral will be held Saturday, June 23 at 3:00 p.m. at Charleston Baptist
Church, 13 San Miguel Road, Charleston, SC 29407.
Visitation for Mike Benke will be Friday, June 22 from 5:00-7:00 p.m. at
West Ashley/Stuhr Chapel, 3360 Glenn McConnell Parkway, Charleston, SC 29414.
The funeral will be held Saturday, June 23 at 11:00 a.m. at Palmetto Community
Church, 1965 Bees Ferry Road, Charleston, SC 29414.
The funeral for Earl Drayton will be Saturday, June 23, at 1:00 p.m. at
Joshua Baptist Church, 2482 Faber Road, Charleston, SC 29405.
Message from IAFF General
President Harold Schaitberger
Read the news coverage:
Firefighters scramble to get to S.C. (Telegram & Gazette)
9 Firefighters Die in South Carolina Blaze (New York Times)
Tragedy in South Carolina resonates in city firehouses (Philadelphia
Inquirer)
Store became a deadly 'inferno' (Chicago Tribune)
Profiles on the 9
fallen SC firefighters (Kansas City Star)
S.C. blaze revives Worcester pain (Boston Globe)
Nine
'courageous firefighters' die in warehouse blaze (CNN)
Charleston deaths highest firefighter death toll since Sept. 11 attacks
(CBS2 News)
S.C.
Warehouse Fire Kills 9 Firefighters (ABC News)
'Tornado of flames' kills nine firefighters’ (CNN)
S.C. warehouse fire
kills 9 firefighters (Associated Press)
9
Firefighters Killed In Charleston Blaze (CBS News)
Nine Firefighters Die in South Carolina Furniture Store Fire (Bloomberg)
Nine US
firefighters killed in warehouse blaze (Reuters)
Blaze
Kills 9 Firefighters in South Carolina (NPR)
Links to video:
Flashover Possible in Deadly S.C. Fire (AP Video)
Furniture Store Fire: Eyewitness Video (NBC, Charleston)
Sofa
Super Store Fire (ABS News, Charleston)
Nine Firefighters Killed In West Ashley Fire
(Live 5 News)
Tornado
of Flames Kills 9 Firefighters (CNN)
Tragedy strikes S.C.
firefighters (MSNBC)
