TARRYTOWN, N.Y. -- A New
York firefighter who climbed down into a manhole to try to rescue a worker apparently overcome by fumes has died along with the man he tried to save.
Firefighter John Kelly and Department of Public Works employee
Anthony Ruggiero died Monday in Tarrytown, a village about 20 miles northwest of Manhattan. They were pulled from the manhole by rescuers and pronounced dead at a hospital.
Village Administrator Michael Blau says Ruggiero was
responding to a report of a sewer backup when he entered the manhole Monday. Kelly was called in to help out.
Both men apparently were knocked
unconscious by fumes in the sewer. Their deaths are under investigation.
Permalink Reply by Doug on September 7, 2010 at 3:45pm
My condolences, and a sad situation. But, will we never learn from the mistakes of others in the past!?! This is the third instance, that I know of, this year alone, in which a firefighter had died in the line of duty going down into a manhole without proper ppe.
I agree totally Doug, its happend for YEARS and still people think it won't happen to them...Or I can hold my breath long enough. I've sat through hours of Confined Space, Fire, etc training and the biggest thing we all here is how the RESCUER becomes a victim by just diving in without thinking things through. The person in trouble is already in a bad spot and needs your help, do not make matters worse by becoming the problem. Slow is smooth, smooth is fast. Totally feel for the people involved and the familes have my condolences but we all need to NOT make this mistake.