Tenn. Firefighter Death Probe Cites Hazards

Jefferson City firefighter Shane Murray died five feet from the door that would have led him to fresh air, a report on his March 2002 death shows.

The house fire that raged around the 21-year-old volunteer fireman did not claim his life. Instead, Murray suffocated, his lungs choked by carbon monoxide from the toxic smoke he inhaled as he tried to escape, the report revealed.

Murray was the first firefighter to die in the line of duty in the Jefferson City Fire Department's 93-year history. His death left the agency's members shaken, and awakened the tiny community to the risks firefighters face.

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, or NIOSH, concluded after an investigation into Murray's death that the risks could have been "minimized."

A report on the NIOSH probe identifies 10 problems that heightened the risk of death during the handling of the house fire on Eastern Avenue. Those include:

• Garbled radio transmissions.
• The decision to fight the fire from the inside instead of a more "defensive attack."
• The lack of a team approach that would have given Murray a firefighter "buddy" inside the house.
• The need for a rescue team to go after a fallen firefighter.

How many of those recommendations have been implemented at the Jefferson City Fire Department is not known.

Fire Chief Lee Turner, who was severely burned in the fire, was out of town and could not be reached for comment. An assistant chief declined to comment.

An official with the countywide E-911 system could not be reached.

A Tennessee investigation showed that Murray's death was not the result of any state safety violations.

An attorney for Murray's family declined comment.

The NIOSH report reveals the following series of events leading up to Murray's death:

The fire was reported at 3:08 p.m. on March 1, 2002. Seven firefighters, including Turner and Murray, responded. Murray, Turner and two other firefighters, one of whom was newly hired, went inside the house in search of occupants. There were none.

While two firefighters remained inside, using a hose to try to douse the fire, Murray and Turner left the house long enough to get another water hose and returned for an "interior attack."

The incident commander kept watch on the fire's condition from outside the structure. But he also pitched in by helping set up a ventilation fan and breaking out a window for more ventilation.

A second fire engine arrived at 3:17 p.m. Flames continued to grow. Firefighters' "efforts had little effect in knocking down the fire," the report stated. A tank serving one water hose "ran dry," and the hose "lost pressure."

"Several minutes passed, and conditions worsened," the report stated. "Fire was now showing from the eaves on all four sides of the residence."

At 3:33 p.m., the incident commander "saw fire venting through the roof," the report stated. "Using his radio, he ordered the interior teams to exit the building."

A minute passed, but Turner, Murray and two other firefighters remained inside. The commander yelled into his radio, "come out of there now," the report stated. But his radio transmissions were "garbled" and muffled by static.

"Central dispatch contacted (the commander) several times, alerting him that his radio transmissions were breaking up and not being fully received," the report stated.

Inside the burning house, one of the firefighter's air tanks began to run out.

"As interior conditions deteriorated further, (Chief Turner) made a decision to evacuate the structure," the report stated.

Two firefighters made it outside. Turner, struck by burning debris, collapsed at the doorway and was pulled to safety. His hands and arm were severely burned. At 3:35 p.m., firefighters realized Murray was still inside, the report stated.

The NIOSH report suggests that Murray became disoriented as he tried to escape. He knew he was in trouble, activating an alarm on his gear that is supposed to help rescuers find him.

The intense heat damaged his facemask, further obstructing his view. At some point, he began breathing in smoke and crumpled onto the floor near the door.

By then, the house was ablaze. Eighteen minutes passed before Murray's fellow firefighters were able to douse the flames enough to rescue him.

"After two attempts, firefighters grabbed the victim by his (breathing apparatus) straps and dragged him into the front yard," the report stated.

The NIOSH report does not indicate whether there was a problem with Murray's breathing apparatus or his air tank supply. A Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health report states that Murray's "air intake was comprised by the removal of the air-pac hose from the face mask from the air supply, allowing the toxic smoke and fumes to enter his breathing zone."