Photos/Story by Allan Etter
Washington, DC -- Firefighters battled flames and smoke to rescue an elderly man from his duplex on 5th St., NE, but efforts to revive him were unsuccessful.
The call came about 2:15 p.m. for heavy smoke coming from 5737 5th St., NE.
First arriving firefighters encountered heavy fire showing from the rear. They also had information that one person was trapped upstairs.
Through heavy smoke, heat and flames, Capt. E.L. Smith and FF/EMT Nick Kelly climbed the stairs. Lineman James Stevens held the fire off the staircase with a hand line.
Kelly charged straight to the bathroom, where reports had the victim. Capt. Smith turned to the bedroom, where he found 86-year-old Odelle J. Kanard unconscious on the bed. Capt. Smith called for help and immediately began pulling the man from the bed.
The crew from Truck 11 responded, and FF/EMT Tony Prince lifted the man from the bed and helped carry him down the stairs and out into the front yard, where CPR was administered.
Mr. Kanard was transported to Medstar, where he was pronounced dead.
"Our firefighters were very aggressive and risked their own lives saving the gentlemen," said Deputy Fire Chief Michael Smith, the on-scene commander. "It's difficult to learn a rescue on the fireground has turned to a fatality. It's tragic"
Fire investigators have determined that an electric space heater was being used in a rear, enclosed porch area. It appears either paper or fabric came into contact with the space heater, and the blaze was sparked.
Damage estimates have been placed at $80,000.
Box Alarm: E14, E11, E12, E21, T11, T15, BC4, R1, E28(communications)
Working Fire Dispatch: E28, BC1, CAR44, AIR1, T06, EMS5, A18, SAFO, M27, R12, EMS45, A18
Related:
