A young firefighter was killed Wednesday after an inferno inside a Buffalo costume shop exploded, trapping him inside, officials said.
The firefighter — who has yet to be identified — was about 30 feet inside the burning DC Theatricks shop at 10 a.m. when a partial collapse set off by a backdraft pinned him to the ground, according to Fire Commissioner William Renaldo.
Other smoke-eaters were forced to leave their fallen comrade behind when an evacuation was called just before the intense backdraft — a burst of oxygen abruptly sucked inside by a smoldering fire before being shot back out — blasted through the building.
“Unfortunately, they weren’t able to retrieve him at the time,” Renaldo said, adding that the exact cause of death is unknown at this time.
Video shows the fireball rupture through the rapidly deteriorating storefront and across the sidewalk just as firefighters escape. The blast knocked several of them to the ground.
The bright orange flames smashed glass and sent debris flying onto the street, with one large piece striking one firefighter harshly enough to knock them over.
It took hours for the department to reach the spot where the fireman was killed and retrieve his body from the severely unstable structure.
After he was recovered, firefighters held a small tribute for him and saluted as an ambulance drove his body away.
There were no other serious injuries reported.
Officials said the fire was likely sparked by contractors who were using torches to work on the outside of the brick-and-mortar building.
Investigators believe the blaze was sparked when the torch flames escaped through holes in the motor and set fire to a considerable pile of paper products and other fuel that was inside the building on the opposite side of the wall.
Renaldo said it was possible the fire was smoldering for some time before it rapidly grew into the deadly four-alarm inferno.
The building was left in such an unstable condition that city officials are making plans to demolish it as soon as possible.
Mayor Byron Brown has ordered flags across the city to be lowered to half-mast in honor of the fallen smoke-eater.
The firefighter’s identity is being withheld as family is notified, but the department’s chaplain described him as a “young man” with a wife and child.
“He joins a long line of firefighters who also paid the ultimate sacrifice over the years in service to the community,” Renaldo said.
With Post wires