Four Die in Dartmouth Fire
First Day of Fire Prevention Week

'We don't have conclusive evidence, but in my heart I feel that they would be alive had there been properly working smoke detectors.'
-----Halifax Regional Fire Inspector MacKenzie at the conclusion of a press conference announcing the cause.

Dartmouth, Nova Scotia - Saturday, October 6, 1996. 7:50am.
The beginning of Fire Prevention Week. And, the worst day of my career as a photographer.

I awoke to the tones from Dartmouth's dispatch center and the call for a report of a possible structure fire at 26a Marilyn Drive; only blocks from my house. On my way to grab the camera I looked out to see heavy black smoke on the horizon. A chance for some hot shots!

A secondary dispatch came as I was entering my truck: 'It's reported that there may be children inside.' My heart sank. My first thought was that they should be out by the time the pumpers arrive. (Three years shooting fires and they're always out by the time I arrive.) If not I've got a chance to get some shots of my friends rescuing some children. A happy ending, so to speak.

Halifax Regional Police had the street blocked upon arrival so the truck was parked and a two block run was made to the scene. A little girl, running in the opposite direction, was yelling, 'It's Mandy's house, Mom!'. I arrived to see little smoke and no fire; another 'good stop' by Dartmouth's firefighters.

Just then, four firefighters emerged from the front door, half carrying - half dragging an adult; elderly: it could have been a man or woman. She was laid down on the front lawn and immediately firefighters and ambulance crews administered medical attention. Snap! I captured the image.

In the background of that picture is the image of a fully attired firefighter handing the limp body of an eight year old child to another. Firefighter Norman Sears wasn't noticed until he was rushing straight past me for the ambulance. Click! Click! Click! I captured the image. Another child emerged at the doorway. Then another! The camera was put away and tears came to my eyes as I walked back down the street. Neighbours were out on the street with their kids. They didn't know yet: but I did.

In conclusion:

The eight year old girl was pronounced dead at the scene. The others, four and six year old boys died later in hospital. Their great-grandmother died in hospital days later. She never regained consciousness. All four were found on the second story.

The official cause of the blaze was deemed to be 'accidental' due to careless handling of 'smoking materials' by unknown persons. Fire Inspectors determined it started on the main floor of the house near a sofa approximately four hours before the first call. There were no evidence of smoke detectors, in either of the two units of the townhouse.

The parents, and an overnight guest escaped through a basement window where they had been sleeping.

Authors note: I realize this article is very editorial. The incident affected me profoundly and I was in a daze for days afterward. I took 16 frames on a roll of 36 - images frozen in my mind. Reading this story I hope you felt some of what I did or can relate it your own experience. The photos accompanying this story were not released without first speaking to the firefighters involved. They offered this statement: 'If it gets just one person to check or install a smoke detector, and saves just one life, then it will be for the best.' (There was a run on smoke detectors in local stores immediately after this incident. Also, the firefighters took it upon themselves to start a project where they would come install a smoke detector for anyone who asked...free of charge. First program that I know of like that, although they seem to be everywhere these days.)

PLEASE! Check your SMOKE DETECTORS!

NOW!

April 22, 2008 - Every once in awhile I get reminded of this horrible incident. Some story about a child dying in a fire usually triggers it and I always think about how those firefighters must feel...because I felt awful. I remember returning from the scene that day and walking through the back door of my parents house. The smell of fried eggs and toast hit wafted through my senses. My parents were just awakening, but they knew I had been at a fire. My mom, standing in the doorway between the kitchen and dining room, innocently asked, 'How was it?'. All I could respond with was 'It was bad, Mom, real bad.' as I continued onward downstairs to lay down. I laid on the living room couch for the rest of the morning listening to the radio chatter. Every once in awhile there was some coded statements, but you could tell they were declaring another person officially dead.

I still feel the same emotions everytime I think about this incident over 10 years later. Imagine what the psychological havoc firefighters must go through dealing with this throughout their careers. The firefighter mentioned above is of course one of many that day. He just happens to be the one in the photo that was awarded the Canadian Press Photo of the Month. He died of a heart attack a few years ago. I've been to a few firefighter funerals. I couldn't make it to Norm's as I was living in Texas at the time. I'm just glad my wife (at the time) and son had a chance to meet him at a firefighter's exhibition one time.

I haven't pursued fire photography as passionately after that incident. I love the colors, and the action, and trying to capture that moment when the firefighters are being heros...saving someone's house, or business. But the truth is, firefighters are being heros just by being firefighters. In some respect, I guess I don't want to have to live through what firefighters must face everyday: I don't want to meet another Mandy.