Posted on 03/27/2015 2:59:53 PM PDT by proxy_user
Firefighter Mike Shepherd, 47, of Squad 41 in the Bronx, is a third-generation New York City firefighter, following in the path of his grandfather and great-grandfather. When there was an explosion at a building in the East Village on Thursday, he raced to the scene.
This is his account.
“I was having lunch at a restaurant around the corner, on Seventh Street,” Firefighter Shepherd said. He was alone and off-duty.
“There was a couple. They were taking a photo. I went out and I said, ‘Would you like me to take a photo of the two of you?’ They said yes please. I took it and I handed them their phone back.”
“Then — baboom.”
“I turned and looked and I just took off running down the middle of the street.”
He went in the direction of the blast.
“As I got closer to the corner I could feel the concussion bounced off the building across the street and kind of hit me in the chest and I said, ‘Oh man, it’s a big one.’ ”
“Then I looked and I turned and I see the whole building is out in the street and people laying there, and I said, ‘Oh man, this is bad.’ And I looked up and I thought, ‘I got to check above.’ ”
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
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Nothing more positive than bodies laying in the street!
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**‘Would you like me to take a photo of the two of you?’ They said yes please. I took it and I handed them their phone back.”**
15 years ago that would have been a nonsensical statement.
This guy was on his day off. He was alone and had no equipment, no bunker gear, and yet he managed to do a quick search of all four floors before any fire trucks got there.
A little “off topic” I know, but I refuse to click on any link to the NY Times. I’m no expert, but I suspect every click through brings them at least some (Internet) revenue. On one hand, it’s important to keep track of what the other side is publishing, but on the other hand, I don’t want to directly contribute to their revenue stream.
This is a good story about the heroic actions of an individual fireman. It is not in any way political.
Try reading.
Those were some scary looking flames, as tall as the building itself.
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