Updated: Durham, NC, Firefighter Killed, Others Injured in Collapse of Converted Building
A Durham firefighter was killed Thursday morning when the roof of a burning building collapsed while crews battled the flames.
Firefighters responded to a 911 call at 3:15 a.m. reporting a fire at 410 Marly Drive near U.S. 70 in Southeast Durham, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation said in a statement. The commercial building was reportedly being used as a residence, it said.
Crews arrived six minutes later and found heavy smoke and flames before entering the building.
At 3:31 a.m., part of the building’s roof collapsed, bringing down the second floor and trapping multiple firefighters working on the ground level.
One firefighter was killed, and two firefighters were inured and taken to Duke University Hospital for treatment. None of their names was released.
The SBI's arson unit is currently collecting evidence to determine the fire’s origin and cause, and the circumstances of the fatal collapse.
What we know
This was the second fire the Durham Fire Department reported in the last two days in which firefighters were injured.
Early Wednesday, crews responded to a house fire in the 5000 block of Garrett Road off Old Chapel Hill Road in Durham. A structure on fire behind the home had spread to the house, but the fire was under control in 30 minutes, the department said. A firefighter was treated for a minor injury at a local hospital, and no one else was hurt.
The News & Observer has reached out to the Durham Fire Department, the city of Durham, the Durham County Sheriff’s Office and the SBI for more information about Thursday’s incident.
Procession staged to honor firefighter
Late Thursday morning, firefighters and fire apparatus were staged along Interstate 40 and Blue Ridge Road to honor the Durham firefighter, according to Legeros Fire Line on Facebook.
Mike Legeros, who runs the social media page, said the firefighter’s body is being taken to the N.C. State Medical Examiners Officer, which is located off Blue Ridge Road in Raleigh.
Processions are typically staged by fire, police, and emergency medical departments for members who die in the line of duty. Sometimes, the families of the victims will join the routes.
Some elected officials have released statements about the firefighter’s death, including state Sen. Natalie Murdock, who represents Durham.
“It takes a special person to choose a profession that puts the lives of others before themselves,” she said. “Each day firefighters risk their lives to save ours.”
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