The 5-alarm fire was first reported at 3:13 a.m. inside what was the Thomas Buck Hosiery Factory at Jasper and York streets, which has been abandoned since the mid 1970s.

Firefighters arrived on the scene to find heavy fire showing from all six floors of the building. Residents described hearing explosions coming from inside the factory inferno.

The factory fire was placed under control at 5:21 a.m., however hot embers whipped up in strong winds started fires at six nearby homes and several surrounding businesses, including a fire at Giamari Furniture & Bedding.

It was approximately 5:50 a.m. when crews were trying to extinguish the flames inside the furniture store when a rear wall collapsed, trapping five firefighters.

One of the firefighters managed to free himself, but four others were trapped inside for several hours until they were finally pulled from the rubble.

Lt. Neary was pronounced dead at the scene.  Neary was a 38-year veteran of the force and leaves behind a wife and three grown children.

Three firefighters were transported to Temple University Hospital.  One of the firefighters, Daniel Sweeney, died at the hospital.

Among the injured, firefighter Pat Nally, a five-year veteran of the department, is currently in the hospital ICU in stable condition.

Firefighter Francis Cheney, an eight-year veteran of the department and son of a retired father captain was treated and released with only bumps and bruises.

Julie Shaw & William Bender, Daily News Staff Writers filed this report.

A wooden firefighter ornament stands outside the Sweeney family house, in Fox Chase, where a retired firefighter lives and where his only son, who followed in his father’s footsteps, was reared.

Capt. David Sweeney, 59, who served nearly 37 years in the Fire Department, spent Easter Sunday with his son Daniel, 25, at the two-story twin on Rising Sun Avenue near Solly.

Daniel “didn’t eat too much” of the ham dinner before going to work around 4 p.m. because he would eat with the guys at the station, his father said.

“I shook his hand,” David Sweeney said. He told his son to have a good night at work. “And that was the last I spoke to him.”

Father Of Fallen Firefighter Speaks To Fox29: MyFoxPHILLY.com

About 7 a.m. Monday, David Sweeney received a text message from one of his three daughters about a “bad fire in Kensington,” an area covered by Ladder 10, where his son worked since 2007.

A fire chief then came to the house and told the father that Daniel was “seriously hurt” and atTempleUniversityHospital.

By the time the father saw his son again, it was too late. He was dead.

On Monday, at the Ladder 10 fire station at Kensington and Castor avenues, Capt. Dennis Merrigan described Sweeney as a “firehouse favorite.”

“The guys loved Danny,” Merrigan said. “We got a lot of younger firefighters in here and he was part of that crowd of guys that were dedicated. He worked out all the time, so he’d be fit for his job, lifting weights. . . . He came to work and loved his job and fit right in at the firehouse.”

Merrigan said that Sweeney was quiet, with a dry sense of humor. “He would just say something out of nowhere and it would just be the funniest thing. . . . He wouldn’t be loud or boisterous, but all of sudden he would say something and everyone would fall apart laughing. He would hit that one note. He’d be lurking there, then hit that home-run pitch.”

Daniel lived near his parents, on Fuller Street near Tabor Avenue, in Fox Chase, with his girlfriend, Kristen Plotts. She said that they had been dating for a couple of years. “He was an amazing man,” she said.

Daniel graduated from Bishop McDevitt High School, in Montgomery County, then entered the Fire Academy, his father said.

He was awarded two commendations since joining the department, in July 2006. Fire Commissioner Lloyd Ayers said that Sweeney rescued an elderly woman from a fire in 2008, and, in 2009, the young firefighter again braved flames, saving several people from another house fire.
//

Firefighter Daniel Sweeney was a graduate of Bishop McDevitt H.S. Class of 2005.  In addition to his serivice in the Philadelphia Fire Department, Dan also worked as a Paramedic in Bucks County.  He served multiple communities including Penndel, Middletown, Warrington Upper and Lower Southampton.

At age 25, Daniel Sweeney was already making his mark as a full-time Philadelphia firefighter who also worked part time with three different Bucks County ambulance squads. His colleagues in Bucks said he will be remembered as a hard-working, cheerful young man who had found his calling. Sweeney always found time to work extra shifts and treated his patients with great respect, said Penndel-Middletown Emergency Squad Chief Brent McLaughlin. “You don’t expect it to happen to one of your own.  People are quite devastated. He was a great medic, always on time, a good employee. He treated his patients with the utmost respect and highest quality care. I never had any complaints about him. And when he wasn’t working, he was fun to be around, always joking and having a good time,” he said.

McLaughlin said his squad will feel the loss of Sweeney keenly. Besides missing him personally, it’s a loss for rescue squads, which always feel the need for more personnel, he said.

“He was always working. He never turned down overtime or extra shifts,” he said.

A Philadelphia resident, Sweeney was with Penndel-Middletown for about four years, McLaughlin said, and also worked part time for the Tri-Hampton Rescue Squad and the Warminster Volunteer Ambulance Corps, where he worked for three years.

In just six years with the Philadelphia Fire Department, Daniel Sweeney received multiple commendations.  In 2009, he received a unit citation for rescuing an elderly woman, trapped on the second floor of her building and in 2008 for rescuing several occupants from a burning dwelling.

Please join with us in sending our condolences to the family and peers of Firefighter Daniel Sweeney.

“Rest easy, brother. We’ve got it from here.”

Viewing will be held Friday, April 13, 2012, 7 p.m. – 9 p.m. and Saturday, April 14, 2012, 9 a.m. – 11 a.m. at St. Cecilia’s Church, 535 Rhawn Street, Philadelphia, Pa. 19111.  Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Saturday, April 14, 2012 at 11 a.m. at St. Cecilia’s Church, 535 Rhawn Street, Philadelphia, Pa. 19111

Interment will occur immediately following the service at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, 4001 W. Cheltenham Avenue, Philadelphia, Pa.

The 5-alarm fire was first reported at 3:13 a.m. inside what was the Thomas Buck Hosiery Factory at Jasper and York streets, which has been abandoned since the mid 1970s.

Firefighters arrived on the scene to find heavy fire showing from all six floors of the building. Residents described hearing explosions coming from inside the factory inferno.

The factory fire was placed under control at 5:21 a.m., however hot embers whipped up in strong winds started fires at six nearby homes and several surrounding businesses, including a fire at Giamari Furniture & Bedding.

It was approximately 5:50 a.m. when crews were trying to extinguish the flames inside the furniture store when a rear wall collapsed, trapping five firefighters.

One of the firefighters managed to free himself, but four others were trapped inside for several hours until they were finally pulled from the rubble.

Lt. Neary was pronounced dead at the scene.

Neary was a 38-year veteran of the force and leaves behind a wife and three grown children.

Three firefighters were transported to Temple University Hospital.

One of the firefighters, Daniel Sweeney, died at the hospital.

Among the injured, firefighter Pat Nally, a five-year veteran of the department, is currently in the hospital ICU in stable condition.

Firefighter Francis Cheney, an eight-year veteran of the department and son of a retired father captain was treated and released with only bumps and bruises.

Lieutenant Robert Neary was a graduate of Father Judge H.S. Class of 1970. He served with the Philadelphia Police Department from 1971 to 1974. Prior to joining the Philadelphia Fire Department, Lieutenant Neary served in the Army Reserves, from 1972 to 1982 as a Sgt First Class.  Lieutenant Neary has had numerous commendations and unit citations including rescuing a pregnant woman from the second floor of a burning dwelling in 2000. He also received a unit citation in 1996, after rescuing 2 people trapped in a burning two-and-a-half story building.

Obituary for Lieutenant Robert Neary

ROBERT P. NEARY, Lieutenant Philadelphia Fire Department, passed away tragically serving the citizens of Philadelphia on April 9, 2012. Beloved husband of Diane (nee Yeager). Loving father of Robert (Cinzia), Christopher (Tamara) and Dianne Hernandez (Javiel). Dear son of Virginia and the late Edward Neary. Loving “Pop Pop” of C.J. and Cora Neary and brother of Edward Neary (Jeannie) and Brita Wisler (Rob).

Bob was a member of the Philadelphia Fire Department for over 37 years. Bob became a firefighter in August of 1974 and served at Engine 51, Engine 34 and was promoted to Lieutenant in 1983. As a Lieutenant Bob served at Engine 12, Ladder 16, Engine 27, Engine 8, Engine 61, Ladder 34. Engine 53, Engine 52, Engine 28 and most recently Ladder 10. He served in the U.S. Army Reserve from 1972 thru 1982 as a Sergeant 1st Class and was a Philadelphia Police Officer from 1971 to 1974. Bob was awarded many commendations while serving the citizens ofPhiladelphia, all for saving the lives of victims in burning buildings. He loved Fishing and boating with his family and friends, enjoyed running and was very handy around the house.

Relatives, friends, members of Philadelphia Fire Department Local 22 and all first responders are invited to share in Bob’s Life Celebration Friday from 5:00- 9:00 PM at John F. Givnish of Academy Rd. 10975 Academy Rd. Services and interment will be private. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions in Bob’s memory to the Firefighters Widow Fund c/o Local 22, 415 N. 5th St. Phila, PA 19123 would be appreciated.

Please join with us in sending our condolences to the family and peers of Lieutenant Robert Neary.

“Rest easy, brother. We’ve got it from here.”

To receive updates send a friend request to “First Responder Institute” on facebook. This website is made possible by the generous support of our benefactors.

If you could help a hero… would you?

Firefighter Dan Sweeney

On April 9, 2012, Lt. Robert Neary and Firefighter Daniel Sweeney from the Philadelphia Fire Department died in the line of duty, and three others have been injured.

The Philadelphia Fire Department issued this brief statement.

“It is with deep regret that the Fire Commissioner announces the death of Lt. Robert Neary and FF Daniel Sweeney, both from Ladder 10, who were killed in the line of duty. Lt Neary and FF Sweeney died on Box 361 Front an York Sts, which was dispatched at 0313 hrs on April 9th, 2012.”

MyFoxPhilly is reporting this story.

FOX 29 News has confirmed that two Philadelphia firefighters have lost their lives and three others are injured as a result of a warehouse fire in Kensington.

The fire went to five alarms early Monday morning at York and Jasper streets and collapsed two walls of the six-story abandoned structure.

Sources told FOX 29′s Sean Tobin that both of the firefighters who were killed fighting the blaze are from Ladder 10. Their identifies were not immediately being released, but sources said one was a lieutenant and the other was the son of a firefighter.

Tobin reported that five firefighters were trapped at about 6:30 a.m. A rescue team was sent in, and three of the fighters were rescued alive.

At least two of them are being treated at Temple University hospital, where a FOX 29 News crew is expecting a news conference around 9:10 a.m. from the fire commissioner and the deputy mayor, as Mayor Michael Nutter is out of town.

Crews were first called out around 3:13 a.m. for a rubbish fire at the old hosiery warehouse, which is located near the York stop on SEPTA’s Market-Frankford Elevated Line.

Fire crews from all over the city responded to the scene as the blaze grew to five alarms.

By the time “Good Day” went on the air at 4:25 a.m., the fire had burned its way through the warehouse and collapsed at least two walls of the building.

Evacuees were being sent to a church at Jasper and Cumberland streets.

The fire burned for more than two hours before being reported under control at 5:21 a.m.

There was no immediate word on any possible cause for the blaze.

Neighbors said the factory has been closed for almost 20 years.
//

Warehouse Blaze Kills 2 Firefighters: MyFoxPHILLY.com

Please join with us in sending our condolences to the family and peers of these two Philadelphia Firefighters.

“Rest easy, brothers. We’ve got it from here.”

Cards and letters of condolence can be sent to:
Philadelphia Fire Department
240 Spring Garden St
Philadelphia, PA

To receive updates send a friend request to “First Responder Institute” on facebook. This website is made possible by the generous support of our benefactors.

If you could help a hero… would you?

A Chicago Police officer suffered a heart attack and died while working in River West Saturday.

Preston Ross Jr., 48, was in full uniform, working near the CTA Blue Line station at Grand and Milwaukee when he began having problems breathing and collapsed, authorities said.

A Chicago Fire Department ambulance took the 25-year police veteran to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 10 a.m., police spokesman Robert Perez said. A police motorcade later escorted the officer’s body from Northwestern Memorial to the Stein Institute, where an autopsy will be performed.

“It is with profound sadness that I announce that the Chicago Police Department has lost one of its own this morning,” Police Supt. Garry McCarthy said in a statement Saturday. “On behalf of the entire department, I offer my sincere condolences to Officer Ross’ family, friends and colleagues.”

Ross, who was assigned to the Morgan Park District, received 17 awards during his career, according to a news release from police.
//

Please join with us in sending our condolences to the family and peers of Police Officer Preston Ross, Jr.

“Rest easy, brother. We’ve got it from here.”

Cards and letters of condolence can be sent to:
To receive updates send a friend request to “First Responder Institute” on facebook. This website is made possible by the generous support of our benefactors.

If you could help a hero… would you?

Our good friends at firefighterclosecalls are reporting that Firefighter Jeremy Tighe, 18, of the McCutchanville Volunteer Fire Department lost his life in an accident near Evansville, Indiana.

Along with Firefighter Tighe, another Firefighter was injured last evening after their apparatus was involved in a single vehicle crash.

18-year-old Firefighter Tighe died when the engine company he was a passenger ran off the road, partially overturned, very violently striking a utility pole.

Lt. Brandon Cason, the driver, was not injured seriously in the crash.

They were returning from a run when for a yet unknown reason their truck went off the side of the pavement around 2030 Hours.

It occurred only about a half-mile from the McCutchanville station onNorth   St. Joseph Avenue.

The truck had responded to a request for a carbon monoxide check earlier in the evening, and the firefighters had called in available at 2001 hours.

The preliminary investigation indicates that the truck left the roadway and onto the shoulder for unknown reasons.

Firefighter Tighe had been on the department for about 18 months, and would have turned 19 years old today.  Please join with us in sending our condolences to the family and peers of Firefighter Jeremy Tighe.

“Rest easy, brother. We’ve got it from here.”

Cards and letters of condolence can be sent to:
McCutchanville Volunteer Fire Department
9219 Petersburg Road
Evansville, IN 47725

To receive updates send a friend request to “First Responder Institute” on facebook. This website is made possible by the generous support of our benefactors.

If you could help a hero… would you?

The Washington State Patrol has identified the slain trooper as Tony Radulescu, 44. Radulescu was assigned to the Bremerton detachment and had spent his entire 16-year in the district, a press release stated.  He joined the agency in December 1995.

Washington State Patrol Chief John Batiste gave this statement on the fallen Trooper:

KOMO News is reporting http://www.komonews.com/news/local/State-trooper-shot-to-death-during-traffic-stop-in-Kitsap-County-140126883.html that a State Trooper fromWashington has been murdered in the line of duty.

The trooper had stopped a pickup around 1 a.m. Thursday on Highway 16 near the small KitsapCountytown of Gorstand radioed the location and license plate number, said Trooper Russ Winger.

When the trooper didn’t respond to status checks, a Kitsap County sheriff’s deputy went to the scene and found the wounded trooper. The trooper was taken St. Joseph Medical Center in Tacoma where he was declared dead.

About three hours later, officers found the truck abandoned about two miles from the shooting scene in thick brush off Sidney Road, but no one was inside.

Troopers, deputies and other officers searched the area for the driver using dogs and checking residences, Winger said. Dogs did not pick up a track, he said.

People who live in the area were urged to stay inside, lock their doors and call 911 if they saw anything suspicious.

Officers continued to question residents in the area where the truck was found. Three people who live nearby were later taken away for questioning at a separate location, officers said.

“It’s obviously a high priority and drawing a lot of attention,” said Sgt. Ken Dickinson. “We’re looking for whoever is associated with that truck.”

Investigators know who the registered owner of the truck is, but it’s unknown if that person is a suspect in the shooting, Winger said.

“We know we have a registered owner, and that’s all we know,” he said.

Officers later towed the truck from the scene. Police also seized a white car found nearby that belongs to someone who may know the suspect.

Officers also said a house near the location where the truck was found has been raided before by state troopers during a drug bust.

Three schools in the area – Sidney Glen, Cedar Heights, and Mullenix Ridge – were placed on modified lockdown as a safety precaution. All are in the South Kitsap School   District.

The fallen trooper’s name has not been released pending notification of next of kin. Officials said he is a 44-year-old military veteran, who has an adult son now serving with the U.S. military forces.

The trooper had 16 years of service with the Washington State Patrol, working out of Bremerton. He was well-respected among his colleagues and loved working with schoolchildren in the WSP’s outreach program.

“He worked in the Kitsap area for quite some time,” Winger said. “He was a co-worker of mine.”

The last time the trooper was heard from was when he made the traffic stop and radioed in the truck’s license number.

“He routinely called the stop – license and location,” Winger said. “He failed to answer status checks.”

The deputy who arrived found the wounded trooper outside his patrol car.

Dozens of state troopers gathered at St.   Joseph Medical Center and a procession of police vehicles escorted the slain trooper’s body from the hospital to the Pierce County Medical Examiner’s Office.

State Patrol Chief John Batiste made a televised statement later Thursday morning: “As you can imagine, it’s a very sad day for the State Patrol; it’s a very sad day for law enforcement in this great state of ours and across this country,” he said.

The last Washington State Patrol trooper killed on duty was James Saunders, 31, who was shot in 1999 during a traffic stop in Pasco. Nicolas S. Vasquez pleaded guilty to aggravated murder and was sentenced to life in prison without parole.
//

Please join with us in sending our condolences to the family and peers of Trooper Tony Radulescu .

“Rest easy, brother. We’ve got it from here.”

Cards and letters of condolence can be sent to:
To receive updates send a friend request to “First Responder Institute” on facebook. This website is made possible by the generous support of our benefactors.

If you could help a hero… would you?

Sergeant Michael May was killed while pursuing a vehicle across the West Virginia – Pennsylvania state line.

The vehicle had been involved in a hit-and-run accident shortly before 1:00 am. Approximately 20 minutes later, officers from the Granville Police Department stopped the vehicle and called for assistance from the Monongalia County Sheriff’s Department.

The driver refused to exit the vehicle and then drove away with officers in pursuit.

The pursuit crossed into Pennsylvania and the driver got onto I-79 southbound back towards West Virginia.

Approximately one mile north of the state line the driver rammed Sergeant May’s patrol car, causing it to crash.

Sergeant May was transported to a hospital in Morgantown, West Virginia, where he died a short time later.

The driver of the vehicle was charged with homicide by vehicle in Pennsylvania.

Sergeant May had served with the Monongalia County Sheriff’s Department for 10 years and had previously served with the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Department and the West Virginia Division of Corrections. His is survived by his parents and brother.  Please join with us in sending our condolences to the family and peers of Sergeant Michael May.

“Rest easy, brother. We’ve got it from here.”

Cards and letters of condolence can be sent to:
Sheriff Al Kisner
Monongalia County Sheriff’s Department
155 Chancery Row
Morgantown, WV 26505
(304) 291-7260

To receive updates send a friend request to “First Responder Institute” on facebook. This website is made possible by the generous support of our benefactors.

If you could help a hero… would you?

Detective David White was shot and killed during a raid of a suspected drug house on the 4800 block of Alligator Boulevard, in Middleburg, at approximately 6:30 p.m.

The home was occupied by six squatters who were using it as a meth lab.

As Detective White and another detective approached the front door one of the occupants immediately opened fire, striking both of them.

The subject then ran through the home and tried to flee through a back door where he encountered another deputy who fatally shot him.

The five other occupants of the home were taken into custody.

Detective White was a military veteran and served with the Clay County Sheriff’s Office for nine years. He is survived by his wife and two children.  Please join with us in sending our condolences to the family and peers of Detective David White.

“Rest easy, brother. We’ve got it from here.”

Cards and letters of condolence can be sent to:
Sheriff Rick Beseler
Clay County Sheriff’s Office
PO Box 548
Green Cove Springs, FL 32043
(904) 264-6512

To receive updates send a friend request to “First Responder Institute” on facebook. This website is made possible by the generous support of our benefactors.

If you could help a hero… would you?

Elisha Anderson of the Detroit Free Press reported this story.

Almondo Greer-Travis, brother of Detroit City Council President Charles Pugh and a 40-year-old Detroit police sergeant, collapsed while on duty and died Sunday.

“This is devastating for me, my family, and the city which he served honorably,” Pugh said in a statement. “Please say a prayer for his three children and his wife, who is also a police sergeant.”

Greer-Travis, a 16-year veteran of the Detroit Police Department, collapsed at the 12th Precinct and was rushed to Detroit Receiving Hospital.

It’s unclear what caused him to collapse, said Kirsten Ussery, a spokeswoman for Pugh.

Greer-Travis and his partner received an award from the council in 2010 when they thwarted a home invasion, according to Ussery.

Two children were hiding in a bathroom when someone broke into the home. Greer-Travis and his partner arrived and arrested the male suspects. The children were unharmed, according to Ussery.

“Losing one of Detroit’s Finest fills us all with sorrow and will be especially challenging for those of us who worked alongside Sergeant Greer-Travis; yet we will remain strong and continue to serve the citizens ofDetroit,” Police Chief Ralph Godbee Jr. said in a statement.

“On behalf of the men and women of the Detroit Police Department, I wish to express my deepest sympathy and prayers to the family and friends of Sergeant Almondo Greer-Travis regarding the loss of our fellow brother in Blue,” Godbee said.

Funeral Information

Visitation is 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 8 at James H. Cole Home for Funerals, 16100 Schaefer, Detroit.

The funeral is 11 a.m. Friday, Feb. 9 at Greater Grace Temple, 23500 W. Seven Mile.

Please join with us in sending our condolences to the family and peers of Sergeant Almondo Greer-Travis.

“Rest easy, brother. We’ve got it from here.”

To receive updates send a friend request to “First Responder Institute” on facebook. This website is made possible by the generous support of our benefactors.

If you could help a hero… would you?

On Wednesday February 15, 2012 Bethann McIntosh will be heading to Washington DC to speak with members of Congress about the bill that is named for her husband, Paramedic Daniel McIntosh.

Danny was a paramedic, a cop, and a firefighter.  If Danny had been working as a law enforcement officer, his family would have been covered. If Danny had been working as a firefighter, his family would have been covered.

Danny died in the line of duty, and the federal government denied his family the Public Safety Officer Benefit to his wife & two children because his employer, Bensalem Rescue Squad, is a non-profit.

Congressman Fitzpatrick of Bucks County introduced a bill named for Danny.  This bill would provide “equal protection under the law” for the families of EMTs & Paramedics who died in the line of duty.  The bill was passed by the House.  The bill was passed by the Senate.  It should’ve become law last week.  One hour and ninety minutes before the bill became law, a staffer who works for Congressman Mica pulled the language.  As a result, Bethann, Delaney & Addison final appeal for Danny’s death benefit will most likely be denied this March.

CALL TO ACTION-WHAT CAN YOU DO?
We need letters of support from all over the United States.  Please write a letter to your member of Congress and your Senators and ask them to co-sponsor “DannyMac”.   The letter doesn’t need to be long or complicated.   It can be hand written.  As long as you include your name & address, it will work.

To find your member of Congress, try using these links.
http://www.house.gov/representatives/
http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

The letters can be faxed to Bensalem EMS .  Their fax number is 215-639-9905
You can also fax it to  Congressman Fitzpatrick’s office.   Their fax number is 215-579-8109.

A group of First Responders will be escorting Bethann to Washington, DC to ask Congressman Mica what happened, and to get this bill passed.  They will be leaving from Bensalem Rescue Squad at 5:00am on Wednesday, February 15^th, and will return the same day.  Our plan is to leave DC- no later than 2:30- so we miss the out-bound rush hour.  This trip is being set up by guys who knew & respected Danny.