News reaching us has it that;
The men - members of a specially trained "hotshot" crew - were fighting a ferocious blaze threatening the town of Yarnell when they were overcome by the flames.
Nineteen firefighters have been killed while battling a wildfire in central Arizona, in the worst incident of its kind that the United States has seen for eighty years.
The men - members of a specially trained "hotshot" crew - were fighting a ferocious blaze threatening the town of Yarnell when they were overcome by the flames.
The group had apparently been digging a fire line to try and halt the spread
of the fire but found themselves trapped. The men were forced to deploy
their fire shelters - tent-like structures meant to shield them from flames
and heat - but were nevertheless consumed by the blaze.
As some 200 firefighters continued to battle the fast-moving wildfire,
tributes for the fallen crew flooded in from across a saddened nation.
"This is as dark a day as I can remember," Jan Brewer, the governor
of Arizona, said.
"It may be days or longer before an investigation reveals how this tragedy occurred, but the essence we already know in our hearts: fighting fires is dangerous work," she said.
"The risk is well-known to the brave men and women who don their gear and do battle against forest and flame," she added, offering "eternal gratitude to the fallen" and prayers for their families and friends.
A Facebook page has been created in memory of the fallen firefighters. It includes a photo showing 19 members of the Granite Mountain Hotshots crew.
18 of the men pictured are believed to be among the dead.
Prescott Fire Chief Dan Fraijo said he was "devastated" by the loss of lives.
"We just lost 19 of some of the finest people you will ever meet," he said at a press conference.
"We take safety precautions, but sometimes unfortunately sometimes it just doesn't work out."
Imagine if after taking safety precautions, there was a broken barrier, what if the safety culture was poor? ask this question and find trillions answers.
May the souls of the departed rest in peace.
"It may be days or longer before an investigation reveals how this tragedy occurred, but the essence we already know in our hearts: fighting fires is dangerous work," she said.
"The risk is well-known to the brave men and women who don their gear and do battle against forest and flame," she added, offering "eternal gratitude to the fallen" and prayers for their families and friends.
A Facebook page has been created in memory of the fallen firefighters. It includes a photo showing 19 members of the Granite Mountain Hotshots crew.
Prescott Fire Chief Dan Fraijo said he was "devastated" by the loss of lives.
"We just lost 19 of some of the finest people you will ever meet," he said at a press conference.
"We take safety precautions, but sometimes unfortunately sometimes it just doesn't work out."
Imagine if after taking safety precautions, there was a broken barrier, what if the safety culture was poor? ask this question and find trillions answers.
May the souls of the departed rest in peace.
Nineteen members of the Granite Mountain Hotshots lost their lives battling the Yarnell Fire in Arizona on Sunday. Here is a complete list of those who perished:
Andrew Ashcraft, 29
Robert Caldwell, 23
Travis Carter, 31
Dustin Deford, 24
Christopher MacKenzie, 30
Eric Marsh, 43
Grant McKee, 21
Sean Misner, 26
Scott Norris, 28
Wade Parker, 22
John Percin, 24
Anthony Rose, 23
Jesse Steed, 36
Joe Thurston, 32
Travis Turbyfill, 27
William Warneke, 25
Clayton Whitted, 28
Kevin Woyjeck, 21
Garret Zuppiger, 27
Andrew Ashcraft, 29
Robert Caldwell, 23
Travis Carter, 31
Dustin Deford, 24
Christopher MacKenzie, 30
Eric Marsh, 43
Grant McKee, 21
Sean Misner, 26
Scott Norris, 28
Wade Parker, 22
John Percin, 24
Anthony Rose, 23
Jesse Steed, 36
Joe Thurston, 32
Travis Turbyfill, 27
William Warneke, 25
Clayton Whitted, 28
Kevin Woyjeck, 21
Garret Zuppiger, 27
