FIREFIGHTER FATALITY INVESTIGATIVE REPORT Sofa Super Store 1807 Savannah Highway Charleston, South Carolina June 18, 2007 City of Charleston Post Incident Assessment and Review Team Phase II Report . This report was prepared by the City of Charleston Post Incident Assessment and Review Team and represents a consensus view of the team. J. Gordon Routley, Project Leader Michael D. Chiaramonte Brian A. Crawford Peter A. Piringer Kevin M. Roche Timothy E. Sendelbach May 15, 2008 . SOFA SUPER STORE FIREFIGHTER FATALITY INVESTIGATION REPORT Table of Contents Introduction.........................................................................................................6 Dedication ..........................................................................................................8 Bradford Rodney "Brad" Baity – Engineer 19...........................................8 Theodore Michael Benke – Captain 16 ......................................................9 Melvin Edward Champaign – Firefighter 16.............................................10 James "Earl" Allen Drayton – Firefighter 19............................................11 Michael Jonathon Alan French – Engineer 5...........................................12 William H. "Billy" Hutchinson, III – Captain 19........................................13 Mark Wesley Kelsey – Captain 5 ..............................................................14 Louis Mark Mulkey – Captain 15...............................................................15 Brandon Kenyon Thompson – Firefighter 5............................................16 Acknowledgements ..........................................................................................19 Sofa Super Store...............................................................................................25 Building Information.........................................................................................25 Building Description..................................................................................26 Building Permits ........................................................................................29 Fill-in Additions..........................................................................................31 Lack of Effective Fire Separations ...........................................................33 Exits ............................................................................................................34 Building Contents......................................................................................36 Inspection History .....................................................................................37 Summary of Fire Code and Building Code Compliance Issues.............38 Significant Building Construction Details ...............................................39 Void Spaces above Ceilings .....................................................................39 Holding Room ............................................................................................40 Façade and Parapet...................................................................................41 Roof Coverings ..........................................................................................42 Limited Access and Ventilation Openings ..............................................43 Site Arrangement.......................................................................................43 Public Water Supply and Hydrants ..........................................................44 Charleston Fire Department.............................................................................46 The Charleston Fire Department ..............................................................47 Mutual Aid ..................................................................................................49 Units by order of arrival: ...........................................................................51 Page 1 SOFA SUPER STORE FIREFIGHTER FATALITY INVESTIGATION REPORT Incident Chronology.........................................................................................52 Fire Discovery............................................................................................53 Initial Response .........................................................................................54 PHASE ONE OPERATIONS - 19:11 TO 19:18........................................................55 Offensive Strategy .....................................................................................55 Engine 10....................................................................................................56 Engine 11....................................................................................................56 Ladder 5......................................................................................................56 Engine 16....................................................................................................61 Engine 12....................................................................................................61 Fire Chief ....................................................................................................61 Engine 15....................................................................................................62 PHASE TWO OPERATIONS - 19:19 TO 19:25 .......................................................62 Engine 15....................................................................................................64 Engine 19....................................................................................................64 Engine 6......................................................................................................64 Operations inside the Showrooms...........................................................65 Fire Extension into Warehouse ................................................................66 PHASE THREE OPERATIONS - 19:26 TO 19:37.....................................................68 Trapped Employee Reported....................................................................68 Firefighters in Distress..............................................................................70 Reaction to Firefighters in Distress .........................................................74 Rescue Attempt .........................................................................................76 PHASE FOUR OPERATIONS – AFTER 19:38 ........................................................77 Defensive Strategy ....................................................................................77 Missing Firefighters...................................................................................79 Recovery Operations.................................................................................80 Locations of Deceased Firefighters .........................................................81 Page 2 SOFA SUPER STORE FIREFIGHTER FATALITY INVESTIGATION REPORT ANALYSIS..........................................................................................................83 Fire Analysis..................................................................................................84 Fire Origin...................................................................................................84 Fire Extension............................................................................................85 Conditions inside the Main Showroom....................................................86 Conditions inside the West Showroom ...................................................88 Interior Hose Lines ....................................................................................91 Path of Fire through the Showrooms.......................................................91 Fire Extension to Warehouse ...................................................................93 Analysis of Fire Department Operations ........................................................94 Incident Management....................................................................................95 Incident Commander .................................................................................95 Strategy ......................................................................................................97 Risk Management ......................................................................................99 Fire Fighting Tactics................................................................................102 Situational Awareness ............................................................................104 Pre-fire Plan..............................................................................................106 Communications......................................................................................111 Tactical Communications .......................................................................113 Mayday Communications........................................................................113 FIREFIGHTER SAFETY ...............................................................................117 Safety Officer ...........................................................................................117 Respiratory Protection ............................................................................117 Air Management Program .......................................................................120 Rapid Intervention Team.........................................................................121