BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) - Two firefighters - one searching for a person reported to be trapped and the other responding to a mayday call - plunged through the collapsed first floor of a burning building and died early Monday.
Rescue crews tried repeatedly to get to the two fallen firefighters, but were beaten back by fire and further collapses inside the corner brick building, Commissioner Michael Lombardo said.
The first firefighter to fall through the floor, Lt. Charles “Chip” McCarthy, was a 22-year veteran of the Buffalo Fire Department who was assigned to a team whose members are trained to find and free trapped victims.
Firefighter Jonathan Croom, who was working on his scheduled day off, responded to McCarthy’s mayday call and also fell through the collapsed floor, Cunningham said.
Firefighters continued to search the building Monday afternoon but had not yet determined whether anyone else was still inside, officials said.