A state fire marshal’s review of the blaze that killed San Antonio firefighter Scott Deem found firefighters and commanders made several mistakes while fighting the major fire at Ingram Square Shopping Center.
San Antonio Fire Chief Charles Hood said firefighters approached the blaze like a residential fire, rather than a commercial one, and failed to use a hose or rope when they entered the building to look for people possibly trapped inside.
That left firefighters without a water source, and could have left them stranded without a clear path to exit. Later, as conditions grew worse to the point that no possible victims could have survived, the search-and-rescue operation continued, Hood said.