.. safety zone wasn't big enough ..
PRESCOTT (ARIZONA): An elite team of 19 firemen were killed on Sunday in one of deadliest US firefighting disasters in decades as flames raced through dry brush and grass in central Arizona, destroying scores of homes and forcing the evacuation of two towns. It was the greatest loss of life among firefighters from a single wildland blaze in the United States in 80 years, since 29 men died battling the Griffith Park fire of 1933 in Los Angeles, according to National Fire Protection Association records.
Art Morrison of the Arizona State Forestry Commission told CNN the firefighters , members of a specially trained "hot shot" team who serve as the shock troops of a firefighting force, were killed on Sunday afternoon when they were overtaken by flames. "It was a hand crew, a hot shot crew," he said. "In normal circumstances, when you're digging fire lines, you make sure you have a good escape route, and you have a safety zone set up. Evidently, their safety zone wasn't big enough, and the fire just overtook them. By the time the other firefighters got in, they didn't survive ," Morrison said.
The crew was initially reported missing before the US Wildland Fire Aviation service said the team had perished in the blaze, which erupted on Friday near Yarnell. Reuters.Jul 2, 2013,
Good M all, sad and tragic , details were horrible, they deploy their safety nets for the last recourse but still of no use , all dies wrapped in their fire resistant blankets , they are heroes in deed, RIP,
They followed the rules, but were surprised because the fire spread faster than expected..
It seems they were on their own or without back up.
There was missing vital communication link with the controllers ?
RIP :(
Tragic turn of events. They gave their lives trying to save others - RIP!
Shows that mother nature is unpredictable and not to be taken lightly :O(
needs to be at the scene ... in the emergency situations.
Every day isn't same. This tragedy was avoidable.