3 Baltimore firefighters killed in vacant home blaze, chief says
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BALTIMORE (AP) — Three Baltimore firefighters were killed and a fourth was injured when part of a vacant home collapsed while they were battling a blaze early Monday, the city’s fire chief said.
The Baltimore City Fire Department said in a tweet that firefighters were responding to a blaze at the three-story rowhome when the four were trapped inside. Crews removed piles of debris to locate the firefighters, the department said.
Chief Niles R. Ford told a news conference that injured firefighter John McMaster was pulled from the rowhome immediately and taken to a hospital, where he was listed in critical condition Monday afternoon. Dr. Thomas Scalea of Maryland Shock Trauma said McMaster was on life support.
“Fingers crossed that he’s going to make it and be just fine,” Scalea said. “It’s hard to know at this point.”
Two other firefighters were pronounced dead at the hospital, Ford said. The fourth trapped firefighter was pronounced dead at the scene, the chief said, his voice breaking at times. Ford identified the dead as Lt. Paul Butrim, firefighter/paramedic Kelsey Sadler and EMT/firefighter Kenny Lacayo.
Scalea said Sadler and Lacayo suffered cardiac arrest at the scene and couldn’t be resuscitated.
“Today, Baltimore has lost three of the bravest among us,” Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott said. “Baltimore owes them the deepest gratitude and respect that we can offer anybody.”
Photographs from the scene showed firefighters being consoled by their comrades. Later, an excavator cleared the remaining debris, leaving a gap between two rowhouses.
Three firefighters were injured battling a blaze at the same location in 2015, The Baltimore Sun reported.
A Baltimore firefighter holds balloons given to him by neighbor Darlene Cucina as a group of fire officials sit on a stoop across the street where several firefighters died in a building collapse while battling a two-alarm blaze in a vacant row home, Monday, Jan. 24, 2022, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) 
People embrace one another after a deceased firefighter was put into an ambulance after being pulled out of a collapsed building while battling a two-alarm fire at a vacant row home, Monday, Jan. 24, 2022, in Baltimore. Officials said several firefighters died during the blaze. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) 
Firefighters embrace each other after a deceased firefighter was pulled out of a building collapse while battling a two-alarm fire in a vacant row home, Monday, Jan. 24, 2022, in Baltimore. Officials said several firefighters died during the blaze. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) 
Firefighters salute as an ambulance carries a deceased firefighter after they were pulled out of a collapsed building while battling a two-alarm fire at a vacant row home, Monday, Jan. 24, 2022, in Baltimore. Officials said several firefighters died during the blaze. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) 
A fire official looks through a hole in a wall as officials try to retrieve the body of a deceased firefighter trapped in a building collapse while battling a two-alarm fire in a vacant row home, Monday, Jan. 24, 2022, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) 
A firefighter, left of center, salutes as others look on as the body of a firefighter who died while battling a two-alarm fire in a vacant row home is loaded into an ambulance, Monday, Jan. 24, 2022, in Baltimore. Officials said several firefighters died during the blaze. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) 
Firefighters stand in a line near an ambulance after a firefighter who died while battling a two-alarm fire in a vacant row home was pulled from the collapsed building, Monday, Jan. 24, 2022, in Baltimore. Officials said several firefighters died during the blaze. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) 
A firefighter fights back tears as he stands with other officials during an ambulance procession, after another firefighter who died while battling a two-alarm fire in a vacant row home was pulled out of the collapsed building, Monday, Jan. 24, 2022, in Baltimore. Officials said several firefighters died during the blaze. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) 
An official takes cellphone images of a helmet and equipment belonging to firefighters and collected from the site of a building collapse while battling a two-alarm fire in a vacant row home, Monday, Jan. 24, 2022, in Baltimore. Officials said several firefighters died during the blaze. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) 
A firefighter sits on the stoop of a home as he watches an excavator pull debris off a building during efforts to retrieve the body of a deceased firefighter caught in the building’s collapse while battling a two-alarm fire at the vacant row home, Monday, Jan. 24, 2022, in Baltimore. Officials said several firefighters died during the blaze. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) 
Fire officials and a crew look on as an excavator is used to pull debris off a building during efforts to retrieve the body of a deceased firefighter caught in the building’s collapse while battling a two-alarm fire at the vacant row home, Monday, Jan. 24, 2022, in Baltimore. Officials said several firefighters died during the blaze. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) 
An excavator is used to pull debris off a building during efforts to retrieve the body of a deceased firefighter caught in the building’s collapse while battling a two-alarm fire in the vacant row home, Monday, Jan. 24, 2022, in Baltimore. Officials said several firefighters died during the blaze. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Associated Press writers Tom J. Foreman Jr. contributed from Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and Sarah Brumfield from Silver Spring, Maryland.
