OAKLAND, CA FIREFIGHTER KILLED AP World Wide Photos Oakland, Calif. firefighter Sheree Rodriguez, right, is led from a burning building by an unidentified firefighter and being overcome with smoke at the fire Sunday. • Full Size Image Here

(FHnews Update, Dec 14) -- The Oakland Fire Services Agency has announced the funeral arrangements for Firefighter Tracy D. Tommey. At age 52, Firefighter Toomey died in the line of duty while engaged in fighting a structure fire on Sunday, January 10, 1999.

Services are scheduled for Friday, January 15, 1999 at the Oakland/Alameda County Coluseum Arena. The services will begin at 1 p.m. All departments are invited to send engines to participate in the procession. Units for the procession should report to the Coliseum by 10 a.m. "Coliseum Staging" can be reached on State White 1; VHF Frequency 154.280.

Flowers can be sent to the Coliseum on Thursday and Friday morning. For transportation from the airport, call 510-444-3322. Please RSVP by 2 p.m., PST (5 p.m. EST) by FAX at (510) 238-7924 or (510) 238-2284. For more information, please contact Assistant Chief Ron Carter at (510) 238-3856.

(FHnews Update, Dec 12) -- Tracy Toomey, 52, a 27-year veteran of the Oakland Fire Department, was the firefighter killed in yesterday's six-alarm fire. He died after the second floor collapsed while he and other firefighters were battling the blaze. He leaves behind a wife and two children, ages 27 and 28. The fire occured at 3052 Broadway near 30th Street Sunday morning, January 10. Funeral arrangements are still pending, a spokeswoman for the Oakland Fire Department said today.

Also injured in the blaze were Lt Kenny Van Gorder and Firefighter Sheree Rodriguez. Sources have reported that Van Gorder and Toomey were working in the same area when the floor collapsed. Van Gorden was able to assume a safe, courched position as the floor collapsed, but Toomey suffered critical, crushing injuries.

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP, Dec 11) -- Flames engulfed a two-story building housing a nightclub and apartment Sunday, killing one firefighter and injuring five other people, fire officials said.

The blaze broke out at the Back on Broadway club north of downtown Oakland at about 10:42 a.m. and went to six alarms, fire officials said. More than 90 firefighters were at the scene.

The firefighter who died suffered chest injuries. His name has not been released pending notification of his family, City Manager Robert Bobb said.

Three residents were pulled to safety by an employee from a nearby car dealership even before firefighters arrived at the scene, witnesses said. The residents being treated for smoke inhalation, Battalion Chief James Edwards said.

Three firefighters, including the one killed, were trapped when a floor in the building collapsed, he said. Two remained hospitalized, Edwards said. Two of the injured firefighters were identified as Sheree Rodriguez and Kenny Van Gorder.

It was not immediately known what sparked the fire, which was under control by 1 p.m. Three people who live in the apartment above the nightclub apparently were not home at the time.

It was a doubly tragic day for public safety in Oakland. Earlier Sunday morning, an Oakland police officer was shot and killed along a stretch of freeway.