Larry J. Leggio and John V. Mesh each had worked more than a decade for KCFD
Two others sustained injuries when the wall collapsed outward
Red Cross is assisting 19 people from 12 of the building apartments
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Larry Leggio, left, and John Mesh Kansas City Fire Department
Kansas City lowered flags to half-staff Tuesday in honor of two veteran firefighters killed when a wall of a burning structure collapsed Monday night.
Trying to keep his composure as he spoke about the men, Fire Chief Paul Berardi identified the dead as 43-year-old Larry J. Leggio, a 17-year department veteran assigned to Truck 2, and 39-year-old John V. Mesh, a 13-year department veteran working on Pumper 10.
They were among a large contingent of firefighters who responded Monday night to a burning three-story building containing businesses and apartments at Independence and Prospect avenues in the Northeast area. Firefighters remained at the scene Tuesday morning, dousing hot spots among a massive debris pile.
“Today is a somber reminder that the work our employees perform in service to the citizens of our City can be dangerous and difficult,” City Manager Troy Schulte said in a written statement released Tuesday. “Each day lives are put on the line to make our City great; the legacy of firefighters Leggio and Mesh will not be forgotten.”
Two other firefighters sustained injuries when the wall collapsed. One was treated and released Monday. The condition for the other was not available Tuesday morning, but he could be released later in the day.
Firefighters rescued at least two people from the northwest corner of the building shortly after arriving, and they brought out one other person before crews were ordered to evacuate at 7:52 p.m., Berardi said.
All fire crews evacuated safely as firefighters shifted to fighting the blaze defensively and worked to protect a supermarket east of the building.
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But when the wall collapsed at 8:07 p.m., it pushed debris out from the building 30 feet, Berardi said. The collapse trapped the four firefighters.
“Initially it looked as if it was a back draft, but after further consideration, it appears now that the second floor collapsed inside the structure, forcing the smoke and fire out of the front,” he said. “In addition to pushing the smoke out, it also pushed the east wall.
“It didn’t fall like a normal collapse. It was actually pushed out at least 30 feet for that wall.”
Within 10 seconds, a firefighter rapid intervention team located, uncovered and removed the trapped firefighters from the collapsed area.
The first ambulance left the scene with one of the injured firefighters at 8:13 p.m. and arrived at the hospital five minutes later. A second ambulance took another firefighter from the scene at 8:21.
Despite efforts by paramedics, nurses and doctors, both firefighters were pronounced dead at the hospital.
A third firefighter as taken to a hospital at 8:23 p.m. and the fourth was taken non-emergency to a hospital at 8:27 p.m.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of those lost and injured,” said Berardi, who thanked everyone who has sent the department condolences. “The compassion of the community has been amazing.”
Leggio, an apparatus driver, worked out of Station 17 at 34th Street and the Paseo. He leaves a wife and his mother.
Mesh’s pumper truck works out of Station 10 at 1505 E. Ninth Street. He leaves a wife and four daughters.
The two other injured firefighters worked on Pumper 23 out of Station 23 at Independence and Van Brunt Boulevard.
Mayor Sly James expressed his condolences for families of the fallen firefighters.
“Unfortunately, situations like this really bring home to all of us the danger that firefighters and police officers confront every day and what the consequences of that danger are,” James said.
Firefighters remained at the scene overnight, fighting the fire defensively. Fire crews continued to put out hot spots Tuesday morning.
The Kansas City Region of the American Red Cross assisted 19 people with some level of assistance, including such things as making sure they had a safe place to stay, food, clothing and prescription medicines lost in the fire, said Duane Hallock, the agency’s regional communications director.
Those people lived in 12 apartments in the building. They ranged in age from a 6-month-old infant to people in their 70s, Hallock said.
The fire may have displaced four or five other people from two other units who were not home.
The building’s owner is Bo Tran, who owns about 10 to 20 other rental properties in Kansas City, according to Dalena Taylor, the city’s neighborhood preservation manager.
Tran, who lives in Leawood, has filed the necessary rental registration paperwork with the city for his rental properties and has kept that paperwork updated annually.
Taylor said there were no code violations or structural issues reported to the city about the Independence Avenue building. “We didn’t have any complaints on it at all,” she said.
The fire department plans to investigate the blaze with the help of the Kansas City Police Department and a response team from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Because the building was a half-block-long structure, the fire department requested help from the response team for its staffing and technical expertise.
There is nothing suspicious at this time, but they will go through it with a fine-tooth comb in case there is something there, Berardi said.
“One thing about last night is that I’m extremely proud of is the professionalism of on-scene personnel as well as the response to the tragedy,” Berardi said. “What helps us get through these times is how professional the department responded and how we reacted to the situation.
“We will continue to do our job as we do every day, as we have done every day in the past. We will continue to do so into the future.”
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Staff writers Lynn Horsley and Brian Burnes contributed to this report.
Robert A. Cronkleton: 816-234-4261, @cronkb
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