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Deputy fire chief rescues 1 uncle from blaze, says another was found dead
Posted: Feb 06, 2015 6:33 AM ESTUpdated: Feb 06, 2015 4:23 PM EST
(Kerry Kavanaugh/FOX25)
(Kerry Kavanaugh/FOX25)
REVERE, Mass
. (MyFoxBoston.com) - A deputy fire chief was able to rescue one of his uncles from an early morning blaze at a Revere home Friday, but another was found dead.
. (MyFoxBoston.com) - A deputy fire chief was able to rescue one of his uncles from an early morning blaze at a Revere home Friday, but another was found dead.
A neighbor reported the fire at 79 Reservoir Ave. at about 6 a.m. The three-alarm fire was difficult to tackle from the start as hydrants remained buried by snow and one was blocked by a parked truck. Crews continued to struggle through single-digit temperatures and sub-zero wind chills. SkyFox flew over Reservoir Avenue as smoke billowed into the sky.
Revere Deputy Fire Chief Chris Bright responded to the scene, which was also his childhood home. He was able to enter the house and save one of his uncles who still lived there. Another one of his uncle's, Dennis Toomey, was found dead. Toomey was in his early 80s.
Chief Gene Doherty said, "He ran into the basement level where he knew one of his uncles stayed and he was able to take him out."
He went on to say that Bright then tried to get into the first floor to find a second uncle, but by then the flames were too much.
Neighbors who've known the family for years felt helpless as they watched and prayed.
"I lived here my whole life so, I've known him since I was a little girl, so I'm just praying that everyone's okay," she said.
As the fire ripped through the home, the bitter cold air froze hydrants and iced over the roads. Ice even encased the firefighter's helmets, but they kept working.
Another resident made it out safely, fire officials said. Two firefighters slipped on ice while on the scene and suffered minor injuries.
The state's fire marshal released a statement Friday confirming Toomey's death and the safety of the other residents. The statement went on to say that the origin and cause of the fire remain under investigation, but that "it is not considered suspicious."
"It's horrendous, I've known the Toomey's and the Bright's since I was a kid." Chief Gene Doherty said. "It's just horrendous and my heart just bleeds for Chris."
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