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Articles
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| 4th St. fire destroys family’s home again |
VOICE writes, "4th St. fire destroys family’s home again
BY HANNAH REXROTH
History repeated itself last week, when a fire ignited at 621 4th St. NE, and spread to four row houses, including the home of Barbara Thompson, whose family’s home suffered a similar fire 30-plus years ago.
In 1970, the fire at the home claimed the life of Thompson’s grandmother. This time, it left her family homeless and four firefighters severely injured.
Thompson, 57, returned from North Carolina on Oct. 29 and found her home at 619 4th St. nothing more than a burned-out shell. “All I could do was scream and cry,” she said. “I’ve been doing a lot of crying lately.”"
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The fire, which was reported around 3:15 p.m. Monday, started when linseed-oil-soaked rags spontaneously combusted on the back porch of neighbor Clifton Kornegay’s home at 621, according to fire officials.
Thompson said that Kornegay had left his home to buy food for his dog. When he returned, she said, he saw the fire, which had spread to the connecting row houses, and his dog, Zeus, was dead.
When propane tanks on Kornegay’s porch exploded, the fire rushed upward and trapped four firefighters from Engine 4 on the second floor of Thompson’s home, she said. The four men escaped from the flames but not from serious injuries.
Dino Milanese and Philippe Kane, residents of 623, were at work when the fire started.
Cindy Bradshaw, a tenant living in the basement of 623, called the fire department. “I heard a popping sound and thought it was Dino doing something in the back yard, but then it got louder and more frequent,” said Bradshaw, who works as a bartender on the Hill. “I looked out the window, and the entire back fence was on fire. I called the fire department and got my butt outside. I wasn’t even wearing shoes.”
Bradshaw said it seemed like the fire trucks arrived mere seconds after she made the call. “They came in full force,” she said. “I counted 10 trucks.”
Neighbors also came in full force.
“The neighbors have been extremely thoughtful,” said Bradshaw. “A woman next door came out and gave me slippers. People that I didn’t even know stopped by to see if we needed anything. It was very, very nice.”
The day after the fire, Thompson and her family spent the day in front of the house, moving from pile to pile of salvaged items from the home. “I never thought it would be so bad,” she said, shuffling through a stack of papers recovered from her bedroom. “We lost everything.”
Said Thompson’s 15-year-old grandson, B.J. Thompson: “I was just worried about whether everybody was OK. I got home from school and saw it and just wanted to know where everybody was.”
The loss of many of her belongings hurt her more than some other things, Thompson said. “There was a lot of history in there. I lost my grandmother’s antique dining room. I’d worked so hard to preserve it.”
She spoke of events that took place in what is now ashes: “My grandkids grew up in this house. There are a lot of memories here. Christmas and Thanksgiving were some of the best times; we’re a very loving family. Now Thanksgiving’s coming, and I don’t know what we’re going to do.”
The American Red Cross has provided temporary housing for Thompson and her seven family members who also lived in the home, as well as residents of two other homes that were severely damaged in the fire.
Thompson’s relatives who remembered the 1970 fire said last week’s fire felt like déjà vu, though the earlier fire did not consume their house.
“A fire started in the same house, and came over to my house the same way,” said Thompson. “The neighbors’ dog, Rex, died, just like this time. My grandmother was in her bed on the second floor. The neighbors pulled her out through the window onto the roof, but she died of smoke inhalation.”
Thompson said that she is thankful that this time the fire did not claim any lives but she is sorry about the firemen’s injuries. “My heart and prayers go out to them,” she said.
The four injured firemen were rushed to the burn unit at Washington Hospital Center. Two remain hospitalized.
Sgt. Michael LaCore, 37, suffered second- and third-degree burns over 50 percent of his body and was placed in a medically induced coma. He underwent surgery on Oct. 30 and remains in critical but stable condition.
Charlie Shyab, 30, suffered second- and third-degree burns on 30 percent of his body, but was upgraded to good condition on Oct. 30.
The two other firefighters, Douglas Donnelly, 27, and Kenneth Humphries, 23, were less seriously injured and left the hospital last week.
Bradshaw, who watched the firemen combat the flames, said she was amazed at their persistence. “There was this unreal black smoke, and they were coming out of it with their faces all black, some of them having trouble breathing,” she said. “It was just awful. I’ve never seen anything like it.”
Bradshaw said she is concerned that people are oblivious to the local firemen’s dedication. “I want the community to know what a good job the firemen do,” she said. “It takes a special person to do what these guys do. I’m in awe. I don’t think people realize the huge danger they put themselves in every day for us. It’s amazing, just amazing.”
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Posted on Nov 09, 2007 15:02pm.
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