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Charleston set to remember 9 fallen firefighters

The fire was the nation’s deadliest firefighting tragedy since Sept. 11, 2001

The Post and Courier

CHARLESTON, S.C. — The public is invited to attend a memorial Saturday night to mark the fourth anniversary of the Sofa Super Store blaze that killed nine Charleston firefighters.

The event will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. at the site of the former store on Savannah Highway.

A solemn, subdued memorial is planned, with no speeches or presentations. Fire Chief Thomas Carr will read the names of the nine men and a fire bell will ring for each. A quintet will play solemn songs.

The firefighters died on June 18, 2007, battling a trash fire that raced inside the massive furniture outlet and exploded into a rolling inferno. The blaze was the nation’s deadliest firefighting tragedy since Sept. 11, 2001.

Also Saturday, the North Charleston and American LaFrance Fire Museum and Educational Center will suspend general admission fees to mark the fire’s anniversary and honor the men who died. The museum is at 4975 Centre Pointe Drive, and the hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

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