LIEUTENANT THOMAS WILLIAMS

RESCUE CO.4
Safety and Inspection Service Command
Final Investigative Report
Firefighter Fatality, Queens Box 33-4220
February 25, 1992

CASE NUMBER 4/92 FATALITY 2/24/92. LIEUTENANT THOMAS WILLIAMS RESCUE CO. 4. BOX 99 33 4220 QUEENS.

FINDINGS: On the evening of February 24th, 1992, Lieutenant Thomas Williams was assigned as the duty officer of Rescue Company 4. While searching the second floor of the fire building located at 66-45 Grand Ave. in the borough of Queens, for possible victims, and making an examination for fire extension, he fell from a second floor window. Lieutenant Williams sustained a severe head trauma injury which resulted in his death. Lieutenant Williams was supervising and performing search duties of the second floor front room, (a storage area) and was accompanied by Fire Fighter Michael Milner, also assigned to Rescue Co. 4. After initial ventilation of a front window (No.2) by F.F. Milner, both members searched the front room area. Moving through an open studded wall, toward exposure four side of the front room, they were hindered by the storage of articles, and a very heavy smoke condition. Lieut. Williams was searching ahead of F.F. Milner, and it can be reasonably assumed that he ventilated another window (No.3) in the room. Just after completing the ventilation of the front window, (No.3), a plume of fire rolled out of the first floor store windows. It went up the front of the building, and across the just ventilated window panes of thr. number three window. Lieut. Williams then told F.F. Milner that "we have to get out of here". They were unable to find the door they had used to enter the front room. There was stock, shelving and the opened studded wall partition that complicated their location orientation. Lieutenant Williams asked Fire Fighter Milner if he could locate the window he had previously ventilated. When Milner had located the window, he heard Lieutenant Williams give a "May Day" over his handi talki radio. He then also gave a " May Day" using his handi talki radio. F.F. Milner was by the window (NO.2), in the right side \:indow pane, he leaned out of the window/ trying to draw attention to their plight. Lieutenant Williams came through the open studded wall toward where F.F. Milner had located the window. Lieutenant Williams passed through the window, to the left of F.F. Milner. As he fell out of the window, and through the heavy
smoke, his helmet became dislodged from his head. He fell
to the ground, to an area which was approximately eight
feet horizontally from the front of the building, to a
spot which was some twelve feet below the second floor
level.

CASE NUMBER 4/92 FATALITY 2/24/92 LIEUTENANT THOMAS WILLIAMS - RESCUE CO. 4. BOX 99 33-4220- QUEENS.

Summary: On February 24/ 1992 at 2304 hours in the borough of Queens, a telephone alarm for fire was reported to the Queens Central Dispatching Office. Units of the F.D.N.Y. were dispatched to a building fire, reported to be opposite 66-44 Grand Ave, in the Maspeth section of Queens. The building is located on Grand Ave. between Queens Midtown Expressway service road, ( Borden Ave.) and Hamilton Pl. It is a three story frame building approximately 40 x 64 feet in area, with commercial occupancies on the first floor and apartments on the upper floors. The first floor was occupied by a clothing store on the exposure four side of the building, (occupancy where fire started.) and a vacant store on the exposure two side of the building. The second floor contained two apartments and an unspecified storage area in the front of the building. The third floor also contained two apartments and an unspecified storage area in the front of the building. The fire originated in the rear of the first floor in the occupied clothing ~tore. The fire ( of suspicious origin) was not readily detectable from the front of the building by the arriving units. During the extinguishment operations of the fire Lieutenant Thomas Williams of Rescue 4 while performing search and examination duties, fell from a second floor window sustaining severe head trauma injury to his head. He was removed from the scene by Emergency Medical Service, and transported to Elmhurst General Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

CASE NUMBER 4/92 FATALITY LIEUTENANT THOMAS WILLIAMS BOX 99-33 4220 QUEENS.

2/24/92. RESCUE CO. 4.

He landed on the front part of the top of his head. The impact of the fall was so great that it caused multiple fractures of the skull, and lacerations of brain. (Considered instantaneous death). His arms were at his side as he impacted the concrete sidewalk. Based on the physical evidence and the numerous interviews conducted, it was determined by the investigating team that Lieutenant Williams :
(1) Was

not blown out of the second floor window, as first reported by the news media.

(2) Did not step through the window. (3) He did not trip or fall any significant horizontal
distance away from the bottom sill, before he fell
through the window.
The exact reason for Lieutenant Williams's fall is not known. There are several other possible reasons for his fall, but none are supported by physical evidence, or witness statements. CAUSES OF THE MISHAP DIRECT CAUSE: The Direct Cause of Lieutenant Williams's death was the fall from the second floor window. INDIRECT CAUSES:
(1)

Suspected arson fire.

(2) Heavy smoke on the second floor, obscuring

visibility.
(3) Inability to locate interior exit door, for the room being searched. (4) Failurebf member's helmet to remain on his head
prior to impact.
(5) Wind direction pushed smoke up the front of the fire building, across the number one, two and three windows of the second floor. The wind also pushed the plume of flame that exited the first floor store window, across the number three window of the second floor. (6) The construction of the window on the second floor
i.e.: Large glass panel area, and low window sill.

CASE NUMBER 4/92 FATALITY 2/24/92. RESCUE CO. 4. LIEUTENANT THOMAS WILLIAMS BOX 99-33-4220 QUEENS.

(7)

Braced frame construction that permitted heavy smoke, heat and fire to travel vertically through the building.

{8} Alterations of many vertical openings within the building which allowed for rapid smoke and heat extension to the upper floors. (9) The use of black iron hanging ceiling suspension system which allowed fire, heat and smoke to penetrate into the first floor ceiling bays. (10) Large undivided fire area on the first floor, and an advanced fire resulting in sudden roll-over. This caused a rapid deterioration of conditions in the second floor area where Lieut. Williams and F.F. Milner were searching. (11) An open wood partition wall in the second floor front room.

EARLY CAUSES:
(1) Alterations to the second floor front. (2) The use of the front storage areas on the second and third floors was contrary to the building's certificate of occupancy. The available building plans do not show the front portion of the building where the storage areas are located. (3) Installation of large, show type windows on the
second floor of a residence building.