Baltimore City Fire Department, Independent Investigation ...

Interviewee: …because it just happened to be the means of egress after it all started to
unfold. But, ‘ya know, again, the only person I’ve really been able to talk to
about what she felt has been Stephanie. And she told me that, that she was
feelin’ an insane amount of heat comin’ up at her and she just couldn’t take
it anymore and needed and she just felt that her life was, was in jeopardy…
Interviewer: ‘Mmm ‘Mmm.
Interviewee: …and wanted to get out. And that’s how the whole series of events started to
unfold.
Interviewer: So, when you made it up to the third floor and you’re next to Racheal, was
her line open, she was hittin’ the fire in the third floor? inaudible word –
Interviewee talking over Interviewer
Interviewee: ‘Um, there was no fire visible to us on the third floor. ‘Um, and again, we
never made it that far to find out why. I don’t know if the door was closed to
the room that the fire was set; I don’t know if maybe the fire had a problem
igniting; I don’t know. ‘Um…
Interviewer: So you’re all just at the top of that landing?
Interviewee: …we were all at the top of the landing workin’ on gettin’ some more line.
And I know the front room wasn’t far away from us but we, there was
nothing blowin’ out at us that we could see any visible fire at that time.
Interviewer: Right.
Interviewee: ‘Um, like I say, the primary concern was the heat and, from what Stephanie
was sayin’, ‘um, that, that the fire she saw was startin’ to come up the stairs
at her. ‘Um, I never noticed it but she was further down the stairwell than I
was.
Interviewer: And that’s where you felt most of the heat, on top of the steps?
Interviewee: Most of the heat, everything felt like it was comin’ from everywhere – under,
directly underneath me, behind me. And, again, I know standin’ up in fires,
it’s gonna be hot…
Interviewer: Right.
Interviewee: …but I mean standin’ up with a hood on, I mean, my ears were burnin’…
Interviewer: Right.
Interviewee: …So, it just, everywhere, everywhere I turned was just an incredible amount
of heat. There was no relief; gettin’ low, most of the time, gives ‘ya some
relief in a fire…
Interviewer: ‘Mmm ‘Mmm.
Interviewee: …There was no relief. None. Now, again, I don’t know why we were feelin’
this heat. ‘Um, I’m, I’m assumin’ somethin’ was burnin’ directly
underneath of us. ‘Ya know, I know the structure probably wasn’t in great
shape; maybe if that played a role into it, I don’t know. Those are questions
I can’t answer.
Interviewer: Did you notice any holes in the roof or anything?
Interviewee: ‘Um, there was a small hole ‘um, I noticed in the roof when we were on the
third floor. ‘Um, I don’t, it was nothin’ that the truck company on the roof
had cut already. ‘Um, ‘cause I know that they were workin’ the saw on a
different part of the roof when I was askin’ them for help. So, ‘um, I don’t
know where that hole came from. If it’s something that, I’m assumin’ prev,