AP Photo/Jim Rogash) Members of the Worcester Fire Department stand to attention at the fire-destroyed warehouse in 1999, during a minute of silence one week after six brothers died.

In a cruel twist of fate, Monday's tragedy in which nine S.C. firefighters lost their lives coincided not only with the Safety Stand Down but was almost 35 years to the day nine Boston firefighters died.

On June 17, 1972, nine members of the Boston Fire Department were killed in the Vendome Hotel collapse and fire. They were killed when, without warning, a large portion of the building collapsed.

As with Monday's fire, the nation's previous deadliest fire involving firefighters – with the exemption of  9/11 – involved a warehouse.

Six firefighters were killed at the blaze in Worcester, Mass., in December 1999.

The fire started when a homeless couple in the building argued and knocked over a candle. They fled, without reporting the fire.

Two firefighters entered the building, believing squatters were inside. After becoming lost in smoke, they radioed for help. Four other firefighters followed them, but they too were overcome by the smoke. All six firefighters died.

Other incidents involving multiple firefighter fatalities over the past 30 years, based on statistics from the NFPA, include:

• 09/11/2001: 340 deaths in the World Trade Center, New York.
• 07/06/1994: 14 deaths in a wildland fire, Glenwood Springs, Colo.
• 07/23/1984: 10 deaths in oil refinery fire in Romeoville, Ill.
• 06/25/1990: 6 deaths in wildland fire (Dude Fire), Payson, Ariz.
• 08/02/1978: 6 deaths in supermarket fire, New York.
• 11/29/1988: 6 deaths in construction site, Kansas City, Mo.
• 12/27/1983: 5 deaths in radiator repair shop in Buffalo, NY.
• 07/01/1988: 5 deaths in auto dealership, Hackensack, N.J.
• 10/26/2006: 5 deaths in wildland fire (Esperanza Fire) Perris, Calif.