Lt. Ed Walsh

Federal Report Blames Lack of Training, Staffing for Death of Lt. Ed Walsh in 2014

By |

A federal investigation of the 2014 Back Bay fire that killed Lt. Ed Walsh of Watertown and firefighter Michael Kennedy placed part of the blame on lack of training and also insufficient staffing. 

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health report also found that there was a delay in alerting the Boston Fire Department of the fire, ventilation of the fire by civilians and a lack of sprinklers and lack of fire hydrant on the rear of the building near the fire. See a the detailed report here from the WCVB Channel 5 website. Among the 15 recommendations are:

Fire command do an assessment of the risk before fully deploying firefighters
Train for dealing with wind-driven fires
Ensure for proper staffing for fighting a fire in a congested urban area
Have checklist to follow in the event of a mayday event
Integrate the latest firefighting research into the tactics used by the fire department
Personnel should all wear a fire-fighting protective hood at all structure fires
Consider requiring sprinkler systems in residential buildings

The report also has a detailed timeline of the fire that killed the two Boston firefighters. Watertown honored Walsh with a funeral, which drew thousands of firefighters from around the country, and shutdown Main Street for a few days.

Around Town

Local Reporter Gets Award for Piece on Fire that Killed Fire Lt. Ed Walsh

By |

A radio report on the fire that killed two Boston firefighters, including Watertown native Ed Walsh, won a national award, and was made by a local man. 

WBUR’s Bruce Gellerman – who lives in Watertown – won first place in the PRNDI (Public Radio News Director Incorporated) Awards in the Nationally Edited Breaking News category. His story, “Two Boston Firefighters Die In Nine-Alarm Blaze,” chronicled the deadly Back Bay fire that killed Boston Fire Lt. Ed Walsh and Firefighter Michael Kennedy in March 2014. Listen to the story by clicking here. While Walsh worked in Boston, he was laid to rest and honored in his hometown of Watertown with great fanfare. Thousands of firefighters gathered in Watertown, shutting down Main Street for the wake and funeral (see photos here). The PRNDI awards recognize excellent journalism produced in 2014 in new arts and sports feature categories as well as or multimedia, nationally edited, and student work.

Police/Fire

Medical Examiner Releases Ruling on Deaths of 2 Boston Firefighters

By |

The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner ruled that the death of two Boston Firefighters – including Watertown-native Edward Walsh – was accidental. The deaths of Walsh and Firefighter Michael Kennedy in the 9-alarm Back Bay fire were caused by smoke inhalation and thermal injuries. The cause of the fire was sparks from welders that ignited the building next door. No criminal charges have been filed, but the Suffolk District Attorney’s Office continues to investigate the incident, according to WBZ-TV. Walsh was honored with a wake and funeral Mass in Watertown.