WASHINGTON, D.C. — Sgt. Michael Lacore opened his eyes and squeezed his mother’s hand Tuesday after the first of what are what expected to be many surgeries at the Washington Hospital Center Burn Unit.
Sgt. Lacore is the most seriously injured of four firefighters burned at Monday’s row house fire in the 600 Block of 4th Street, NE. Lacore has 2nd and 3rd degree burns over 40 percent of his body.
In a press release, Wednesday morning, DC Fire & EMS reports that, so far, test results indicate no respiratory burns.
Firefighter Charles Shyab is now in fair condition in the burn step down unit. The morning report is that he continues to improve. Firefighters Dennis Donnelly and Kenneth Humphries have been released from the hospital.
DC Fire & EMS Chief Dennis Rubin has appointed 11 members of the department to investigate how the firefighters were burned.
Part of the team went through the two burned homes Tuesday afternoon and interviewed some of the first firefighters who responded to the call.
The firefighters from Engine 4 were on the second floor of 619 4th Street. In the video shot by DC Fire & EMS photographer Vito Maggiolo, you can see water from the crew’s hose line darkening the fire.
A short time later, the fire grows very rapidly on the first floor and extends to the second floor, apparently briefly trapping the firefighters.
According to fire officials, what you can’t see on that video is the fire going up the stairwell. The firefighters had to go through that fire to get to safety.
DC firefighters are keeping an around the clock vigil at the hospital. A command post has been set up at the hospital to coordinate the efforts. Sources tell 9NEWS NOW the person running that command post on the midnight shift has been DC Fire & EMS Chief Dennis Rubin.