Official Report on October 12, 2015 Double Firefighter-Fatality Fire on Kansas City MO's Independence Avenue

Time of Incident: 1927hrs

Date of Death: 10/12/2015

Fire Department: Kansas City (Missouri) Fire Department

Address: 635 Woodland AVE, STE 2100, Kansas City, MO 64106
Fire Department Chief: Paul J. Berardi

Incident Description: Fire Apparatus Operator Larry J. Leggio and Firefighter John V. Mesh died from injuries sustained in a structural collapse while working at the scene of an apartment building fire.
 

Multiple units were dispatched at 1927hrs on initial calls that indicated fire visible from the structure; additional units were dispatched as the incident escalated, with a full second alarm requested shortly after arrival.  

Tactical assignments were made, including establishing a Rapid Intervention Team, and crews began operating to effect fire suppression and occupant rescue, rescuing multiple occupants by ladder prior to deteriorating conditions and forcing a shift to defensive operations.
 
Evacuation was ordered at 1952hrs.  At approximately 2007hrs, a collapse was reported on the east side of the building.  

Two MAYDAY calls were received from the collapse area, indicating firefighters in urgent distress; four firefighters were reported trapped by the collapse.  

The Rapid Intervention Team witnessed the collapse and held their ground for no more than 10 seconds until Command ordered them to effect the rescue. 

They located, uncovered and removed several firefighters from the immediate area. 

The first ambulance transporting a firefighter departed the scene at approximately 2013hrs, arriving at Truman Medical Center (TMC) approximately five minutes later.  

A second emergency transport left the scene at approximately 2021hrs with arrival at TMC five minutes following.  

Both those firefighters, Fire Apparatus Operator Leggio and Firefighter Mesh, were pronounced dead at the hospital after paramedics, nurses and doctors had attempted to revive them.  

A third firefighter was transported to University of Kansas Medical Center at 2023hrs and a fourth transported non-emergency to St Luke’s at approximately 2027hrs; their condition is still to be reported.

The cause of the fatal fire is being investigated by local, state, and federal authorities.

Incident Location: 2608 Independence Avenue

BREAKING NEWS: Two Firefighters Dead in 4-Alarm Apartment/Retail Building Fire Near Old Northeast Kansas City MO

The fire is in the 2600 block of East Independence Avenue was reported about 7:25 pm Monday evening.

Three pumpers- two trucks and a rescue company with an EMS unit were sent on the first alarm.

Two residents of this building were initially rescued without injury.


Another chief- pumper- truck and EMS unit were 'still-alarmed' to the fire before a full 2nd-alarm was dispatched at 7:45 pm..


At 7:52 pm- all interior crews are ordered out of the building- a "defensive" firefight is commenced.

By 8 pm- an on-scene chief- by radio- has requested "a collapse zone be established" around the fire building.


At 8:06 pm- "a collapse" of part of the fire building is reported- on the southeast side of the structure closest to Snyder's grocery store to the east.

A 3rd-alarm was sounded as a "mayday" alarm- and six additional EMS units were sent to the scene for a reported "4 firefighters" injured in the collapse.

Two of the most critically-injured were taken to Truman Med Center (TMC-West).

The other two were transported to other medical centers with fairly minor injuries.


At 9 pm- the KC-MO Fire Chief publicly reports "two firefighters have died-" the two souls taken to TMC-West.


The scene wasn't declared under control until around midnight Tuesday morning.

The entire fire building except for the one-story portion closest to Prospect collapsed.


The north half of the remaining structure was still heavily-involved in fire with "4 master streams and 6 or 7 handlines" reported being used at 11:15 pm.