Posted on 01/31/2014 1:45:24 PM PST by madison10
TFD confirms 2 firefighters killed in line of duty Posted: Jan 26, 2014 3:39 PM EST Updated: Jan 27, 2014 12:49 AM EST
TOLEDO, Ohio -
Toledo Fire Department has confirmed two firefighters were killed while fighting a fire at a convenience store Sunday afternoon. The fallen firefighters have been identified as:
Stephen A. Machcinski, 42, with 16 years of service. James A. Dickham, 31, with approximately 6 months of service
"Our thoughts and prayers are with the fallen firefighers and their families," said Toledo Fire Chief Luis Santiago at a press conference Sunday night.
Both men were assigned to Engine 3 and responded to the structure fire shortly after 2:30pm Sunday.
"It was in the course of these efforts that they suffered fatal injuries after what could be described as valiant efforts," Santiago said. "They removed them from the structure to begin life-saving measures. They were transferred to St. Vincent's Medical Center."
The chief says a formal and detailed investigation will take place involving multiple agencies.
Toledo Mayor Michael Collins paid tribute to the fallen firefighters Sunday night, calling it "a tragic night."
"They run into harm's way instead of running away from harm's way," he said. The mayor has asked the community to lower flags Monday at 8:00am to half staff and asked for prayers from community members.
"Please keep those families, the firefighters and police officers, and the leadership in your prayers," he said. "We're going to be very challenged, and, without your prayers, it would compound our struggles."
TOLEDO, Ohio – An apartment building owner has been charged in the deaths of two Ohio firefighters killed while battling a blaze this week.
Court documents filed Friday in Toledo say Ray Abou-Arab is charged with two counts of aggravated murder and arson.
The documents say an apartment resident saw the fire break out Sunday just after the building's owner left a garage on the site.
Toledo firefighters Stephen Machcinski and James Dickman died while fighting the blaze near downtown.
Firefighters found both men inside the burning building, carried them out on stretchers and tried unsuccessfully to save them.
A phone message left at a suburban Toledo number for Abou-Arab was not immediately returned.
RIP.
Prayers for their families. Just tragic....
Not just tragic, it was murder.....................
My good friend Rick G. told me a story many years ago about his dad who was also a Toledo Fire Fighter. He and 3 others lost their lives in the late 1960’s in a gas refinery fire that went very wrong.
I was born and raised in Toledo but live in Michigan. I have family members in Toledo and there were thousands of fire-fighters coming today, from all over the country for the memorial for the two that died. It was to be downtown Toledo at the Sea-gate.
Sad that it looks like arson. Prayers for their families.
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