The National Institute for Safety and Health Firefighter Fatality Investigation and Prevention Program provides report F1999-03 on a collapse and fire in California that killed one firefighter and injured two others. See the complete report at www.cdc.gov/niosh/firehome.html.

On Jan. 10, 1999, three firefighters became trapped when the second floor of a nightclub collapsed during an interior fire attack. One male firefighter died and the others were injured in the late-morning blaze.

Arriving at the 2-story taxpayer building (commercial occupancy on the first floor and living quarters on the second), firefighters reported heavy smoke emitting from the second-floor windows and eaves with fire showing in a secondary front doorway that lead to the second floor. The fire quickly spread up the walls of the first floor to an area above the false ceiling over the first floor. The fire also spread up the walls to the attic area above the second floor.

As firefighters prepared entry through the main front door, other firefighters began applying water to the fire that was emitting through a secondary front door. Gaining entry through the main front door, two firefighters from Engines 2550 (a captain and a firefighter) and three firefighters from Engine 2552 (a lieutenant, engineer and a firefighter) advanced two 1H-inch charged lines and began applying water to the fire.

Upon entering the structure, they noticed that the drywall drop ceiling was down in some areas and could see fire going up the walls and across the ceiling. As they advanced their line, the engineer was struck in the head by falling debris that knocked off his helmet; he was forced to exit. Minutes later, a third firefighter from Engine 2550 joined his crew inside the structure. A firefighter from Engine 2552 also entered at the same time, relieving a firefighter on his line. The captain on Engine 2550 stated that as he surveyed the interior conditions, it appeared to him there had been a partial roof collapse (referring to the second-floor as the roof). He then exited the structure and went to the command post to give the incident commander a report on the interior conditions.

Before the IC could make any changes, the captain returned to the interior of the structure to find his crew. Just as he located his crew, the second floor collapsed, trapping three firefighters. The rescue team quickly freed one firefighter and had to use hydraulic jacks, airbags and cribbing to free the lieutenant and the victim. All three firefighters were transported to a local hospital where the victim was pronounced dead.

Based on this incident, NIOSH suggests that fire departments:

• Use extreme caution when fighting a fire in a balloon-framed structure. Implement an emergency notification system to rapidly warn all those who might be in danger if an imminent hazard is identified or if a change in strategy is made.
• Ensure that firefighters wear protective clothing whenever they are exposed or potentially exposed to hazards.
• Ensure that a separate incident safety officer, independent from the incident commander, is appointed.
• Ensure that when firefighters are performing an interior attack with the possibility of a ceiling collapse, they establish a collapse shelter.
• Provide the incident commander with a command aide.