Ottawa Fire Fighters Injured in Dramatic Three-Story Plunge

February 16, 2007 -- Just one week after a violent flashover claimed the lives of IAFF members Tom Nichols and Harold Lessard in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canadians witnessed yet another shocking reminder of the dangerous nature of fire fighting when five Ottawa fire fighters were forced to jump to safety from the third floor windows of a blazing townhouse.

In all, six fire fighters – all of them members of Ottawa, ON Local 162 – were injured during the five-alarm fire, which broke out over the lunch hour during bitter cold temperatures in the Canadian capital February 12.

Chatterton, a 24-year veteran of the department, remains in Ottawa hospital with burns, a broken femur, broken elbow, two cracked ribs and possible damage to two vertebrae. Witham, who has been on the job nine years, suffered sprains and first and second degree burns to his arm, while Campbell – a rookie with five months on the department – suffered second-degree burns to her face and arms, a back injury and chipped teeth.

Temperatures inside the burning building were estimated to be between 370 and 600 degrees.

“The fire fighters are in good spirits and thankful to have escaped with their lives,” says Ottawa Local 162 President Peter Kennedy, explaining that the intense heat from the lower story fire trapped fire fighters on the upper floor who were attempting a search of the premises for trapped residents. “We are very fortunate that this was not another Winnipeg.”

Kennedy explains that at the time of the call, a nearby ladder truck was out of commission due to staffing shortages, as were three other apparatus, raising the question of whether these shortages contributed to the outcome of the incident.

“While fire fighting is a very dangerous profession, our union is committed to ensuring that every possible measure is undertaken by the employer to mitigate that danger,” says Kennedy. “The fire fighters’, and ultimately the public’s safety, are at stake.”

Kennedy visited all of the injured fire fighters in the hospital prior to leaving for Winnipeg, where he attended the memorial for Nichols and Lessard.

Coverage of the dramatic Ottawa fire was reported by the city media all week. Chatterton, who urged his two colleagues to jump from the building, was hailed as a hero for helping to save their lives.

“It’s probably the first time I’ve been afraid for my life in a fire,” Witham told the Ottawa Citizen. “There was so much smoke, the visibility was absolutely zero, you couldn’t see your hand in front of your face. We knew we were up three stories, and it was a confusing place to be.”