On June 30, 2008 an intense wind driven blaze destroyed a apartment building in Speedway, Indiana. As crews arrives on the scene a large column of smoke filling the sky from the building located along I-465 just north of Hollister Drive.

The fire started around 3:21 pm and quickly spread as high winds from the north pushed the fire further into the building.

Lieutenant Jeff Cheshire, then serving as a firefighter on Engine 202 recounts how his crew got over run by rapidly changing fire conditions and how another fire crew got blown down a set of stairs but what was described as a backdraft or smoke explosion.

Lessons Learned:

1. The need to pay attention to clues that indicate unusual conditions.
2. The need to trust your gut and to speak up when you sense something is not right.
3. The need to overcome your concerns about what others might think of you if you suggest it may be time to leave.
4. The need to rely on your training and to apply the lessons from training on the fireground.

Our sponsor:

Midwest Fire MidwestFire.com

Intro music

Safety Dance (1982)

Men Without Hats

GMC - Virgin Records

Guest Contact Information

Lieutenant Jeff Cheshire

Photos Courtesy of Jay Thompson

SpeedwayNavigator.net

Situational Awareness Matters! website

www.SAMatters.com

Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System

http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/

Contact Rich Gasaway

www.RichGasaway.com

[email protected]

612-548-4424