Overview
- The 300-page Incident Review Team report, released Tuesday, says extreme heat caused the firefighters’ air hoses and face pieces to fail in under four minutes.
- Investigators found both men faced roughly 1,000-degree conditions and their protective gear broke down under that heat.
- The review cites a training gap, noting neither firefighter had learned the “flow and move” technique, which trains crews to cool a room by spraying water while advancing, and the department began adding that course last year.
- The report also flags chronic problems across the department, including short staffing, aging equipment, and outdated training programs.
- Following the October 19, 2023 fire that killed Acting Capt. Dillon Rinaldo and Firefighter Rodney Pitts III, the department tightened rules to favor exterior attacks unless a battalion chief authorizes entry, and investigators say many other recommended fixes remain outstanding.