A series of mistakes by Cincinnati firefighters contributed to the growth of a March 2015 fire, which caused heavy smoke and poor visibility for rescuers searching the building, indicated a federal investigation released today.
One of those firefighters, Daryl Gordon, fell to his death when he stepped into an elevator shaft.
The investigation by the Centers for Disease Control’s National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, largely agrees with an investigation released in late June by the Cincinnati Fire Department, and its recommendations.
Both reports conclude that Gordon died on March 26 because he walked through a malfunctioning elevator door that should have been locked. But the reports also highlight mistakes and oversights by CFD personnel.
"Things start going wrong. It's how you stop that snowball effect, where things keep going wrong, that prevents bad things from happening," Gregory Potter, CFD's district chief for training told The Enquirer. "At this fire, little things just kept mounting up."
Firefighters failed to quickly contain the fire; it grew and filled the five-story Madisonville apartment building with smoke. The smoke reduced visibility for rescuers, including Gordon, as they searched the building.