| Two Philadelphia firefighters were killed in the line of duty while battling a multi-alarm fire on York Street in the Kensington section of Philadelphia in the early morning hours of Monday, April 9th.
The incident claimed the lives of Lieutenant Robert Neary (60) and Firefighter Daniel Sweeney (25) both of Ladder 10 after a wall collapsed inside an adjacent building where the two men were trying to halt the fire's progress, officials said Monday. The fire started around 3:15am as a rubbish fire and was quickly upgraded accordingly.
Three other firefighters were injured in the collapse, which trapped fire personnel inside and required others to spring to their aid as reported by Fire Commissioner Lloyd Ayers and Deputy Commissioner Ernest Hargett Jr.
Commissioner Ayers said the department last lost a firefighter in 2006 when twenty one year veteran, Tracy Champion of Engine 54 collapsed and died while battling a house fire on 55th Street and Lancaster Avenue. The last time the department lost multiple firefighters on a single call was 2004 when Captain John Taylor and Rey Rubio from Pipeline 28 died in the line of duty fighting a basement fire in the Port Richmond section of Philadelphia on the 3600 block of Belgrade Street.
The membership of the Lionville Fire Company would like to offer its sincerest condolences to the family and friends of the deceased as well as the entire Philadelphia Fire Department during this most difficult time. |
