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RC

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14. Portable shelters couldn't save 19 firefighters

Mon Jul 1, 2013, 06:27 PM

Jul 2013

By FELICIA FONSECA and HANNAH DREIER
Associated Press

PRESCOTT, Ariz. (AP) -- Trapped by a wildfire that exploded tenfold in a matter of hours, a crack team of firefighting "Hotshots" broke out their portable emergency shelters and rushed to climb into the foil-lined, heat-resistant bags before the flames swept over them.

By the time the blaze had passed, 19 men lay dead in the nation's biggest loss of firefighters in a wildfire in 80 years.

The tragedy Sunday evening all but wiped out the 20-member Granite Mountain Hotshots, a unit based at Prescott, authorities said Monday as the last of the bodies were retrieved from the mountain in the town of Yarnell. Only one member survived, and that was because he was moving the unit's truck at the time.

The deaths plunged the two small towns into mourning as the wildfire continued to threaten one of them, Yarnell. Arizona's governor called it "as dark a day as I can remember" and ordered flags flown at half-staff. In a heartbreaking sight, a line of white vans carried the bodies to Phoenix for autopsies.

More at: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_FIREFIGHTERS_KILLED?SITE=AZCAS&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2013-07-01-18-18-33

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Highlight:

AP PHOTO: A Procession of the Vehicles Carrying Bodies of the Firefighters Who Died in AZ [View all] Hissyspit Jul 2013 OP

Heavens.. how sad is that... hlthe2b Jul 2013 #1

we had a fire in milw in the 80's. i think about 17 died, mostly children. pansypoo53219 Jul 2013 #55

. Skittles Jul 2013 #2

.. nadinbrzezinski Jul 2013 #3

Very nice nadin, thank you. Rebellious Republican Jul 2013 #15

This one VA_Jill Jul 2013 #59

Too sad malaise Jul 2013 #4

Indeed. n/t Tansy_Gold Jul 2013 #5

So tragic. dipsydoodle Jul 2013 #6

So very sad~ sheshe2 Jul 2013 #7

It;s a dirty, dangerous job and the pay is pathetic. mountain grammy Jul 2013 #8

Devastating. oldandhappy Jul 2013 #9

. myrna minx Jul 2013 #10

Damn. KittyWampus Jul 2013 #11

Very sad. kentuck Jul 2013 #12

... Whisp Jul 2013 #13

Portable shelters couldn't save 19 firefighters RC Jul 2013 #14

We call them shake and bake tents.... Rebellious Republican Jul 2013 #19

Raise a glass or light a candle to the memory of these brave gentlemen. LongTomH Jul 2013 #16

I hope this isn't innappropriate. secondvariety Jul 2013 #17

secondvariety, I am as macho as they come... Rebellious Republican Jul 2013 #18

that video must be getting a lot of play today--I started typing "cold mi" and it came up niyad Jul 2013 #22

NOW that I have had a chance to compose myself.... Rebellious Republican Jul 2013 #23

It was the first thing I thought of. lapislzi Jul 2013 #26

I have read it, and the Mann Gulch blowup is taught to this day. Rebellious Republican Jul 2013 #28

Interestingly enough, Hissyspit Jul 2013 #46

Also check out John McLean's (son of Norman) "Fire On the Mountain" truebluegreen Jul 2013 #53

my heart goes out to their loved ones and friends. what a blow to this community to lose such niyad Jul 2013 #20

Heroes, every one. JDPriestly Jul 2013 #21

Cause we are at the cause of them nadinbrzezinski Jul 2013 #27

Thanks Nadin, Rebellious Republican Jul 2013 #39

JD, please this is not the time or place. Rebellious Republican Jul 2013 #32

You win! Rebellious Republican Jul 2013 #40

Must be BOTS, because anything human has a heart! Rebellious Republican Jul 2013 #44

So I guess you have gone to bed for the night. Rebellious Republican Jul 2013 #42

WTF does the NSA have to do with it? Rebellious Republican Jul 2013 #41

We are spending millions on funding NSA wild goose chases JDPriestly Jul 2013 #47

"They seem to get worse each year" OnlinePoker Jul 2013 #50

The year isn't over, truebluegreen Jul 2013 #54

Thanks. JDPriestly Jul 2013 #56

Hmm fail, not according to Cal Fire nadinbrzezinski Jul 2013 #60

Do you have a link? OnlinePoker Jul 2013 #61

Yup nadinbrzezinski Jul 2013 #62

I went on the Cal Fire Site OnlinePoker Jul 2013 #63

When you get a chance to slither around this way, I will be waiting! Rebellious Republican Jul 2013 #43

this week also marks the 19th anniversary of the storm king mountain fire, where 14 firefighters niyad Jul 2013 #24

sweet Jesus ZRT2209 Jul 2013 #25

so sad Liberal_in_LA Jul 2013 #29

Public servants risk their lives to help their communities. Corporate employees don't. kestrel91316 Jul 2013 #30

How much does a 1 percenter think it is worth paying firefighters? Bernardo de La Paz Jul 2013 #31

+1 shireen Jul 2013 #57

What a sad procession. Beacool Jul 2013 #33

Firefighters Memorial ThoughtCriminal Jul 2013 #34

That is a wild land firefighter memorial. Rebellious Republican Jul 2013 #38

OMG! so terribly, terribly sad... chillfactor Jul 2013 #35

No words ReRe Jul 2013 #36

Words fail me. ChazInAz Jul 2013 #37

Very Sad! burrowowl Jul 2013 #45

RIP dear ones :( Fire Walk With Me Jul 2013 #48

No words can convey bluedeathray Jul 2013 #49

May those noble souls stand in the light. sarge43 Jul 2013 #51

This is especially sad for me.... blueamy66 Jul 2013 #52

K&R midnight Jul 2013 #58