Firefighters Who Saved Three Lives in Daring Rope Rescue on UES Honored by FDNY
Three people were cut off from an escape route after an e-bike lithium ion battery ignited a conflagration on the 20th floor of an UES high rise on Nov. 5, 2022. Two young woman were saved via a daring rope roof rescue as victims and firefighters dangled outside the burning bedroom, 200 ft above the street level. A third victim was able to be recued from the interior after firefighters were finally able to reach the 20th floor with hoses. Eight of the firefighters involved in the complicated rescue were honored at the annual FDNY Medals Day ceremony on June 6.
Eight firefighters involved in the dramatic rope roof rescue on an UES apartment tower fire on November 5, 2022 that saved the lives of three people trapped in a burning 20th floor apartment after a lithium ion battery explosion ignited an infreno were honored June 6th at the annual medals day award by the FDNY.
“Firefighting operations in high-rise buildings present a unique set of challenges that is extremely labor intensive and complex,” the FDNY said in doling out the medals. “The vertical landscape creates an enormous burden on all aspects of the operation, from defying the laws of gravity to pump adequate water to upper floors, to the superhuman efforts required to reach the fire location and then search, confine and extinguish the fire, there are many challenges.”
The rescue was further complicated because one of the young women rescued had her arm entangled in a child proof window guard that had to be cut out before the rescue could be enacted. All elevators in the building were knocked out, so firefighters were unable to use their over ride keys to get closer to the blaze and instead were forced to hike up the 20 flights with their fire extinguishing gear hoses.
According to the FDNY, Lieutenant Adrienne Walsh one of the first responders from Rescue 1 split his company in two, sending half to the fire floor and half to the floor above.
Firefighters Darren Harsch, Renald Jean, and James Cahill went to the floor above to assist in what turned out to be a complex, multi-faceted rescue operation.
“Black smoke pushing under pressure meant that time was of the essence, especially for one person now hanging in a precarious position outside the window,” the FDNY stated at the ceremony. Jeanes coordinated the lowering of FF Koranteng to retrieve the first victim.
“Members quickly learned that the victim’s arm was entangled in the child guard, necessitating a tool to complete the task. Harsch took position at the window, where he could better coordinate from the edge and Artur Podgorski, was lowered with a Halligan tool to attempt to free the victim’s arm from window guard while holding the victim 200 feet above street level.
“Podgorski quickly recognized that securing the victim while also attempting to free her would be challenging and dangerous,” the FDNY said. Firefighter Harsch was then lowered to a position above the young woman.
“From this vantage point, he was able to see the person’s arm and determine what was needed to free her. He made sure that Podgorski was prepared to take the entire weight of the civilian once she was freed and dangling on the outside of the building.”
Harsch used the Halligan tool to cut a gap in the child guard and shift her weight to the newly created space. He used his legs to slide the civilian to the space. Once the civilian’s arm was moved, she was freed, and her weight was immediately transferred to Podgorski.
Harsch then turned his attention to the two other trapped occupants. a woman and man. “He was lowered into position, held the second female victim and lowered her to safety on the 19th floor,” the FDNY stated.
He disconnected his rope and immediately went up to the fire floor to assist with the ongoing operations. Engine companies advanced on the fire just as a fourth firefighter, Adam Nordenschild reached the third victim at the window who was able to be rescued from the interior.
The medal honorees included:
*Artur Podgorski who was normally at ladder company 108 but was detailed to a shorthanded Ladder Company 16, awarded the Chief of Department Peter J. Ganci, Jr. Medal & NYS Honorary Fire Chiefs Association Medal.
*Darren J. Harsch, normally at Company 270 but detailed to Rescue Company 1 the night of the fire, awarded the Hugh Bonner Medal & Honor Legion Medal.
* Adam M. Nordenschild Ladder Company 2, Walter Scott Medal.
*Belvon J. Koranteng, normally assigned to Engine Company 295 but detailed to Ladder Company 16, awarded the Henry D. Brookman Medal.
*Lieutenant Christopher J. DiGiulio, Ladder Company 2, Thomas F. Dougherty Medal.
*Firefighter John G. Petito III, Ladder Co. 2, William and Gertrude Friedberg Medal.
*Firefighter Christian D. Wellinger, Ladder Co. 16, American Legion Fire Dept. Post 930 Mark M. Wohlfeld Memorial Medal.
*Firefighter Julian D. Castaneda, Ladder Co. 35, Arthur J. Laufer Memorial Medal.
“Few meritorious acts rise to the level of the life-saving rope rescue, which is so symbolic of the bravery of New York City firefighters who readily put their life on the line to rescue a fire victim, while being lowered from a life-saving rope, many stories above the street.” FDNY statement at the June 6 Medals ceremony honoring eight firefighters.