As doctors treated two Wilmington firefighters for burns, funeral plans were pending for their two comrades killed after the first floor of a burning row home collapsed early Saturday.
The mourning continued Monday for Wilmington Fire Lt. Christopher Leach, 41, and Wilmington Senior Firefighter Jerry Fickes, 51, as the body of both firefighters left the medical examiner's office for funeral homes. [[394784411, C]]
"All of our family is hurting, significantly," said Wilmington Fire Department Chief Anthony Goode after Saturday's blaze. "The entire city is hurting significantly. I know I am." [[394711141, C]]
Leach's body went to Chandler Funeral Home on Route 202 and while Fickes's was taken to Mealey Funeral Home on Broom Street.
Leach, who was assigned to Ladder 2, and Fickes, who was assigned to Squad 4, were two of the several firefighters who responded to a fire at a row home on the 1900 block of Lakeview Road in a development called Canby Park in Wilmington shortly before 3 a.m. Saturday. [[394820281, C]]
Local and federal investigators including ATF officials could be seen sorting through the rubble for clues Sunday as the cause of the fire remained unclear.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BKvO_eDAfifSmoke detectors inside the home began going off as a family of six slept.
"We were like, 'wake up, wake up, it's a fire!'" said Winter Brooks, who lives inside the home. "It was really scary."
After the first unit arrived, a report was transmitted of heavy fire from the rear and another engine was dispatched. Firefighters entered the home and tried to save the family members who they believed were trapped inside the basement. They didn't realize at the time however that the entire family had safely escaped the burning house.
#Wilmington Delaware: *UpDate House Fire *Second #FireFighter has died from injuries suffered during fire ops. pic.twitter.com/1oRVd83txo
— First Responder (@911__ICE) September 24, 2016
As the firefighters remained inside, the first floor of the home, which investigators say was soft and brittle, collapsed. Leach and Fickes then fell through to the basement and were trapped inside.
A Wilmington firefighter declared a "mayday" at 3:14 a.m. and officials directed more resources to assist them.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BKvPj-OgzVy"Firefighters trapped, first floor," a dispatcher said in a recording obtained by NBC10. "Mayday has been declared. All units out."
Several firefighters searched through the home and eventually found Leach and Fickes dead.
Four other firefighters were also injured during the fire. Two of the survivors remained in critical condition Sunday morning at Crozer Chester Medical Center Burn Center while two others were treated and released from Christiana Hospital.
The fallen firefighters both left behind children and families. Leach was with the department for 14 years and Fickes spent the last 13 years as a Wilmington firefighter.
"He died a hero," said Betsy Arnold, a neighbor. [[394699991, C]]
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A prayer service was held for the two firefighters at the Salesianum School in Wilmington where Leach had attended as a teen. Leach's son also currently attends the school. Leach had visited the school just last week to talk with students.
Funeral plans were still pending Monday morning but a tentative memorial service was planned for Saturday, said Goode.
