UPDATE: 2 FIREFIGHTERS DIE IN COLLAPSE AT ROW HOUSE FIRE, 2 CRITICAL, WILMINGTON, DE
Two Wilmington firefighters were killed and four injured when the first floor of a burning row home collapsed early Saturday morning. Wilmington’s Fire Chief Anthony Goode said the floors in the home were soft and brittle. When the floor caved, veteran firefighters Christopher Leach and Jerry Fickes were among the “four or five” firefighters who fell into the basement and became trapped.
The fallen firefighters both leave behind children and families, Goode said. Leach, 41, was with the department 14 years and Fickes, who was 51, spent the last 13 years as a Wilmington firefighter.
“Please keep us in your prayers,” Goode asked the community. “This is a very tragic day. We’ve lost two of our brothers. All of our family is hurting, significantly. The entire city is hurting significantly; I know I am.” A female firefighter was flown to Crozer-Chester Medical Center in Upland, Pennsylvania, with critical injuries and another critically injured firefighter was at Christiana Hospital. The two other firefighters received minor injuries.
Our condolences to all those affected. RIP.
