Firefighters die in blaze by ground zero

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Source: Associated Press

By VERENA DOBNIK, Associated Press Writer 17 minutes ago

NEW YORK - A seven-alarm fire ripped through an abandoned skyscraper next to ground zero in Lower Manhattan Saturday, killing two firefighters who were responding to the blaze.

Officers at the scene were preventing nearby residents from returning to their homes, telling them that authorities were concerned the former Deutsche Bank office building, vacant since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks turned it into a toxic nightmare, could fall. Mayor Michael Bloomberg said that fear turned out to be unfounded.
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One of the firefighters killed was identified as Joseph Graffagnino, 34, of Brooklyn. He was a member of Ladder 5, which lost 11 members on Sept. 11, 2001.

"Today's events really are another cruel blow to our city and to our fire department," Bloomberg said. He said the fire had "expanded our loss."

The name of the other slain firefighter was not immediately released because officials were not able to reach his family, Bloomberg said. Bloomberg said both firefighters had become trapped.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070819/ap_on_re_us/deutsche_bank_fire

[BlackHawk706867]

1. Not being a fire fighter, my question has to be why the hell do they enter...

these abandoned buildings to put out a fire? Why the hell not just let it burn itself out? I just don't for the life of me understand this....

ww

[Goat or Panic]

2. Mainly

to keep the fire from spreading to other buildings. Also, smoke and toxins are also a concern.

[Starlight]

3. This is a big city. Lots of people live and work in the area.

[davepc]

6. fire spreads

downtown New York is dense with buildings

[Bozita]

4. If there's a pile of rubble, Bush may appear (in appropriate costume) and proclaim his eternal

... presidency.

See?

We didn't really need those pesky '08 elections.

[Bozita]

5. Rudy needs to get there ... and inhale deeply

Don't worry, Rudy.

The air is safe.

Inhale deeply.

[SeattleVet]

7. Damn! I worked in that building for 8 years!

But my cubicle doesn't exist anymore - it was on the 38th floor. They have dismantled down to the 26th floor.

I had a wonderful view, overlooking NY harbor, with the Statue of Liberty and Verrazano Narrows Bridge, Governor's Island...

I left in October of 1992. The truck bomb was set off the following February.