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Speaking outside the smoking building, the fire quickly engulfed the site even as workers fled. Johnson said the mostly wooden-frame apartment building caught fire quickly. Fire investigators have confirmed the fire began accidentally. The fire was started by a trailer that was spraying insulation material as part of the construction efforts. When conditions changed, the rescuers transmitted their own distress call and another company of firefighters was dispatched to rescue the first group.
CFD: 15 workers rescued, 2 unaccounted for in Charlotte construction site fire
Within hours of the fire breaking out, firefighters said 15 people were rescued, but two were unaccounted for. Mayor Lyles confirmed the death of Demonte Sherrill, which other sources had also previously confirmed. Walter Morris said his nephew was in a construction crane above the site and could not get down initially because the flames were so high.
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Fire starts at second building near 5-alarm fire in SouthPark - WSOC Charlotte
Fire starts at second building near 5-alarm fire in SouthPark.
Posted: Thu, 18 May 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
CHARLOTTE — As firefighters battled a massive fire at a building in SouthPark from below, a harrowing scene unfolded Thursday morning as one crew member dangled from above. Johnson said the initial investigation shows the fire started in a spray foam insulation truck, and appears to be accidental. At a construction site on the 7700 block of Liberty Row Drive, across the street from SouthPark Mall. One person was taken to the hospital and is expected to recover, paramedics said.
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— Officials from the City of Charlotte held a media briefing Friday. Fire Chief Reginald Johnson confirmed that the fire was started by a spray insulation trailer on the ground floor. Chief Johnson also confirmed that two construction workers lost their lives in the fire.
However, even treated wood product as a substantially lower fire rating than concrete or most other construction material. Officials at the scene said crews will remain at the site overnight as firefighters continue to spray down hotspots. They have not yet entered the building as of Thursday evening because temperatures were too hot. A firefighter climbed up to help the crane operator safely climb down the ladder shortly before 11 a.m. Our Glenn Counts just spoke to the parents of a worker.
Another worker told Channel 9 that a foam-spraying machine caught fire and then spread to the floors above. But as of Thursday afternoon, two workers who were in the area of the construction site where the fire initially broke out remain unaccounted for, the newspaper added. The Charlotte Fire Department says it is battling a massive blaze Thursday at a construction site in the North Carolina city’s SouthPark area. National building code allows for up to five floors of residential buildings to be constructed using fire retardant wood.
Witnesses told Channel 9′s Joe Bruno that the fire started on the second floor. Construction workers said there were nearly 100 people working at the site at the time of the fire. The fire broke out at an apartment complex on Fishers Farm Lane around 3 p.m. A second alarm was struck shortly after the fire broke out. The fire was controlled in 50 minutes by 60 firefighters. Construction worker Demonte Sherrill, 30, died in the blaze, family said.
"And that could expand the fire much quicker than you can see on the outside than inside," Johnson said. "And when you start to see the amount of black smoke coming out of that building - Our firefighters will tell you that black smoke is fuel." "High heat conditions well over 2,000 degrees, and as the construction site is open, a lot of wood is exposed, the fire moved very rapidly." But Charlotte Fire Department Chief Reginald Johnson said Friday evening that the remains of two workers had been found in the smoldering wreckage. Johnson said their bodies had been sent to the medical examiner's office for identification.
Charlotte Fire Department fighting blaze at construction site
It caused $850,000 in damages to 18 units, according to firefighters. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police said roads are closed in the 7700 block of Liberty Row Drive due to fire crews on the scene. Alex Eyssen, Mill Creek’s Senior Management Director - Carolinas, the company building the apartments that caught fire issued a statement to WBTV. Most of the flames were out by noon as firefighters continued to put out hot spots as several roads in the area remained closed.
This is the worst thing that can happen in our industry and there are no words that can express the emotions we are experiencing from this loss. SouthPark Mall was closed due to the proximity of the fire and motorists were advised to stay away from the area as several roads were closed. Officials asked the public to not call 911 unless there is an absolute emergency. Both men were part of the construction crew working on the upscale apartment buildings when the fire broke out.
Anyone missing a loved one after the fire is asked to call 911 to speak with a police officer. "A Mayday is required when we have to send other firefighters to rescue those companies," the fire official explained. Officials said firefighters were tasked with extinguishing the "very fast-moving" fire, which had high-heat conditions of well over 2,000 degrees. By using this website, you accept the terms of our Visitor Agreement and Privacy Policy, and understand your options regarding Ad Choices. This is a breaking news story, check back for updates.
He said he made sure everyone on the crew he leads was together and got out, but was worried for others. Johnson thanked fire departments in Pineville, Midland, Wesley Chapel, and Steele Creek for covering Charlotte calls while Charlotte firefighters were in SouthPark. The fire moved rapidly because of the amount of exposed wood at the site, the chief said. Charlotte Fire said 90 firefighters responded to the scene. Charlotte Fire asked residents Thursday afternoon not to call 911 unless it was an emergency.
Demonte Sherrill was one of the two construction workers who were unaccounted for immediately after the fire. Firefighters were able to rescue a crane operator who had been trapped high above the smoke and flames. Within an hour of starting, the fire was escalated to a five-alarm situation.
The Mecklenburg County Medical Examiner’s Office says Demonte Sherrill and Ruben Holmes were both killed in the fire. "The fire spread rapidly," Johnson said at the news conference Friday. "All I [saw] was, no daylight anymore, looked like it was dark, instead," one witness told WCNC Charlotte. Officials urged people to only dial 911 for emergencies and to avoid the area.
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