-
Login
-
Digital Edition
-
Print Edition
- Most Commented
- Most Commented
- Most Emailed
- Most Emailed
- Popular
- Popular
« News Home
Fire rescue delayed
Tweet- Police and Fire Dept. Dispatch
Audio clip
- Warren 911 Call
Audio clip
City of Warren Fire investigators and investigators for the state fire marshal remove items as they investigate a early morning blaze that injured a Warren Policeman and three residents. State Fire Marshal investigators have ruled arson as the cause of this morning’s fire at a group home on Bonnie Brae Avenue.
By Ed Runyan
Four people — including a police officer — were critically injured in Tuesday’s blaze at a group home.
WARREN — A firefighter official says response time to a fire that injured four people would have been shorter if not for layoffs in the fire department.
A woman delivering newspapers noticed the fire on the front porch of the house at 368 Bonnie Brae Ave. N.E. shortly after 3 a.m. Tuesday and flagged down officer Doug Hipple, who kicked in the front door and tried to rescue the three women living inside.
But he became disoriented inside the house and returned to the second floor, where he and the women were rescued by firefighters about 15 minutes later.
Hipple and the women were flown to Akron Children’s Hospital Burn Center.
Holly Pupino, a hospital spokeswoman, said Tuesday afternoon that all four were in critical condition. Tuesday evening a spokeswoman said she had no additional information on Hipple or Sheree Egry, 53. However, she said that Donna Cassidy, 52, and Melissa Watson, 44, were in serious condition. A fourth woman, a caretaker for the three mentally retarded residents, escaped from the home on her own.
Acting Police Chief Tim Bowers said Hipple is in an induced coma but was last reported breathing on his own.
“He’s a very brave, dedicated police officer, and we just pray to God he’s going to survive these injuries,” Bowers said at a Tuesday afternoon news conference in the mayor’s office.
Officials with the Warren police and fire departments said Hipple arrived at the house at around 3:22 a.m. Several other police officers arrived at the house within several minutes after Hipple.
Hipple advised a police dispatcher by portable radio a couple minutes after he entered the building to tell firefighters to “step it up. We can’t get out.”
Bowers said he doesn’t know yet how long it took from that point for firefighters to rescue him. Because of different times used by various police and fire dispatching equipment, it appears it took between seven and 12 minutes.
Fire Chief Ken Nussle said there was some initial confusion as to the location of the fire because the newspaper carrier couldn’t pinpoint its location, but it took about five minutes for firefighters to arrive.
The 911 log shows that firefighters removed Hipple from the top floor of the two-story house at around 3:40 a.m. — more than 15 minutes after he entered the building.
Bowers said it appears that when Hipple arrived, he started banging on the front door of the house, then the side door and then the front door again, trying to alert the occupants of the house to the fire.
At the time, it appeared the fire was not very large, Bowers said.
After kicking in the front door, Hipple met the caretaker inside, and the caretaker showed Hipple to the second floor, where the women were sleeping.
But the home was formerly a duplex, so the stairwells are confusing, and it appears Hipple had trouble leading the women back down the stairs the way he came in, Bowers said.
The caretaker made it back out because she knew the house, but Hipple and the three other women eventually went back upstairs and headed toward the back of the house, Bowers said.
Warren Fire Detective Marc Titus was among the 11 firefighters who responded to the fire. He located Hipple and removed him.
Titus, who also is president of the firefighters’ union, said he is frustrated firefighters were unable to get to the blaze any sooner. He said closing of the nearby fire station on Atlantic Street Northeast because of manpower issues slowed response time by three to four minutes, he said.
Nussle, however, said he thought response time was slowed by about one minute.
“If that station was open, this would not have happened. He would not have had to go in there,” Titus said.
All 11 firefighters working were stationed at the South Street main firehouse. The Atlantic Street firehouse is just a few blocks away from the location of the fire.
Councilman Bob Dean said the layoff of 11 firefighters on Jan. 1 is to blame for the length of time it took to get help.
“You can’t just say things just happen. This is what happens — officers get hurt and 11-year-olds get killed,” Dean said.
The councilman was referring to Hipple and 11-year-old Lloyd McCoy Jr. of Wick Street Southeast killed during an April 13 drive-by shooting at his sister’s house. Twenty police officers also were laid off Jan. 1.
The State Fire Marshal’s office reported the fire was deliberately set and that a reward of $5,000 is being offered for information leading to the arrest of whoever set the blaze.
w
Comments
I resent the wording of "mentally retarded" utilized by the author of this piece who apparently is not sensitive to the nature of someone with a disability. Proper wording would have been "mentally challenged".....there is current legislation which will take the retard out of mentally--let's get with the program guys! It's apparent a class in sensitivity is needed by authors of such pieces.
I agree, mother. Normally I'm not a nut about politically correct terms, but I do think that "mentally retarded" is very old-fashioned and can be deemed offensive in the current day.
Either way, I'm doubting that the reporter was purposely being insensitive. The blame of insensitivity should instead be placed on whoever started the fire.
"mentally retarded" can be an exact, technical term... so lighten up and give the reporter the benefit of doubt.
what is sad is that the fire department is complaining about layoffs when it is widely known that if we got rid of the double and triple layers of government around here--city, township, county, etc.--there would be more money for all social services... including educating the publc on when it's OK to say mentally retarded when that may very well be the case.
Let's be really sensitive and use "Slightly Imperfect" Get a life!
Went through an entire class on dealing with MRDD citizens. Last I checked, that was Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities. To retard something means to slow something down. It just means their minds work slower than the average person. Could we PLEASE get off of this over sensitive PC crap? If you have a problem with it, don't blame the author who used an official medical term. Take it up with the board of health. I agree, get a life. Prayers for the Officer and the three women. I hope whoever did this pays dearly.
I am appalled by all of you! Four people nearly died, and all you can cocern yourselves with is the wording a reporter used in the article.
I agree Rokscout and poppo!
I agree AKAFR1
Also the issue over the response time is irrelivant. For the firefighter to say they could have been there 3 to 4 minutes earlier was innaccurate. the chief's comment about a minute is more realistic. I do disagree with him that the officer wouldn't have had to go in there - the Trib reports that the (trib) newspaper carrier flagged him down and the officer was on his way IN as she called 911.
Regardless of timeframe that was a very brave man and I wish him a full and speedy recovery.
I agree with the above three posters. This is not a matter of whether or not the reporter used correct wording. The other posters should be ashamed of themselves for making that an issue when the real issue is four people have been critically injured at someone else's hands. This is such a devastating thing to have happened to these people, their families and this community.
It seems we can't even be safe in our own homes anymore. And that is a real shame. I hope the person or persons who committed this crime is punished to the full extent of the law.
My thoughts and prayers are with these people and their loved ones. I pray that they make full recoveries.
Appalled? I'm appalled that you don't know how to read:
"Either way, I'm doubting that the reporter was purposely being insensitive. The blame of insensitivity should instead be placed on whoever started the fire."
^I don't believe we were just singling you out!
I didn't say that was the case.
It sure us funny that the focus of this story is about a police officer who went into a burning building to ave lives and your worried about words that were used? Get a life andstop being so petty. Officer Hipple is a brave man who saved peoples lives and laying in a hospital along with the women he saved. You people that are so critical I wonder if you would do the same thing that the officer did? My thoughts and prayers go out to Officer Hipple and also to the women he rescued.
I realize it was 3:30 in the morning, but the Police and Fire Dept. just sound so.... blah. "Yeah." Instead of "Fire? where? people trapped? How many? I'm sending the trucks now!" No.... it's..... slow..... answers..... slow............ questions.......... slow.............. slow...................slow. Even the Chief.
The only person who sounded ON the ball was the Dispatcher Cathy; she was ALERT, asking important questions, AND you could tell she had just a bit of tears in her voice after the 3rd call. SHE should be commended for keeping level-headed and showing deep concern and urgency.
These city leaders need to finally relize that laying off police and firefighters is injuring and killing innocent people in the community. All its going to take is for something to happen to them and then things would change. All they are concerned about is saving the almighty dollar NOT their community!!!!
fireems2005
HOW do you propose they help their community? Have you examined the city budget fully enough to recommend budget cuts? Look around these boards - both news and Talk of he Valley - and you see a LOT of comments crying about wasteful government. With most people demanding to spend less in taxes, how do we provide services. Ohio law requires even rural townships to provide fire protection but says nothing about police or EMS. You can't get something for nothing - what should the city cut?
I would echo all positive comments about Officer Hipple - he has a difficult road ahead because he could not just sit by. Learn by his example - rush into your city for it is surely burning.
I think some communities should cross train their police and fire personell. As in pa they have fire/police. With such cross training they can save money. And could even layoff and/or cut salaries of city maintenance employees. Let me ask this.....How much does Mayor O'Brian make a year, what about his staff? Cut their pay BEFORE risking the lives of firefighters, police officers and most of all....THE CITIZENS OF WARREN!!!! It is very disheartning to see people lose famliy/friends due to the fact that their leaders that they elected to office, Is puting their lives on the line. And this is the same reason I WILL NOT work for a fire department with leaders like O'Brian in office.
mother4earth, hippies and yuppies like yourself are ruining the English language. The word 'retard' means to slow, and anything extra you glean from it is only the value you assign it. It's not the author's fault you don't like the word. HERE'S A THOUGHT: Take some responsibility for your own thoughts and feelings.
FE2005 - good comment about the cross training. Most people gravitate to either police or fire or fire/ems work for reasons that tend to eliminate the other professions. However, in these changing times, new looks might be needed.
From your later comments, it seems you have not taken the time/effort to see what the mayor does make. It IS public record, you know. Show all of us what budget cuts would make a similar impact to balance the budget of the city which is what MANY citizens want more than they want good fire/ems coverage. I'm not saying it can't be done but if you want to have your comments taken as anything but arm chair quarterbacking, SHOW US THE MONEY.