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John Gerard Bellew

Lieutenant

Lieutenant Meyran and Firefighter Bellew were assigned to Ladder 27 in the Bronx. At 0758hrs, Ladder 27 was dispatched to a structure fire in an occupied multiple-family dwelling. Upon their arrival, Ladder 27 was assigned to provide ventilation, entry, and search services on the fourth floor of the building, above the fire. The fire progressed rapidly, and firefighters were trapped in an apartment that was not provided with a fire escape. Six firefighters were forced to jump from the rear window into a depressed rear yard of the structure-in effect, a 5-story fall. Two firefighters died and 4 firefighters received severe injuries. Blunt trauma injury was cited as the cause of death for both of the deceased firefighters. A number of factors contributed to the deaths of the 2 firefighters. The building in which the fire occurred had been illegally converted into small apartments, making access and egress difficult. A frozen fire hydrant and the consequent loss of water supply to an attack line forced the movement of an attack line at the same time that the fire was extending rapidly. Snow was falling at the time of the fire, delaying unit arrivals and making movement difficult. The cause of the fire was electrical in nature: an overheated extension cord. At the time of the fire, FDNY firefighters were not equipped with escape ropes. Subsequent to the fire, all FDNY firefighters were equipped with escape and descent devices. Firefighter Bellew was posthumously promoted to Lieutenant.
photo of the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial
John Gerard Bellew was honored on the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial in Emmitsburg, Maryland and was included in the USFA’s annual report Firefighter Fatalities in the United States.

Department information

Ladder 27, Fire Department City of New York
9 Metro Tech
Brooklyn, New York 11201

Chief: Fire Commissioner Nicholas Scopetta

View NIOSH Report

Age: 37
Rank: Lieutenant
Classification: Career
Incident date: January 23, 2005 08:15
Date of death: January 23, 2005
Cause of fatal injury: Fall
Nature of fatal injury: Trauma
Activity type: Search and Rescue
Emergency duty: Yes
Duty type: On-Scene Fire
Fixed property use: Residential

Last updated: April 21, 2016