Heroic rescuers fail to save young woman from Quincy fire
By O’Ryan Johnson
Thursday, December 16, 2004
A woman in her 20s perished in a fast-moving three-alarm fire in Quincy last night despite the heroic efforts of three police officers and a neighbor to reach her, the neighbor and authorities said.
The fire started on the second floor of 25 Clive St., driving one family from the home about 8 p.m. Neighbor Michael Casey, 38, said one of the victims knocked on his door asking to use the phone and said their home was on fire.
``Someone was trapped inside,'' he said, ``so I wet a towel down threw it over my head and went in.''
But Casey and three police officers, Roger White, Paul Brown and John McGowan, were turned back by smoke and flames after reaching the second floor. Authorities did not say where the woman's body was found.
``I can't say enough about their heroism and courage,'' Quincy police Chief Robert Crowley said.
White and Brown were on duty but McGowan, who lives nearby, was off duty.
Fire Chief Paul O'Connell said his men were still battling the fire at 9 p.m. Police Sgt. Jefferey Burrell said state police homicide detectives and the state fire marshal's office would be called in to investigate - standard procedure in fatal fires.
An elderly survivor was taken to a local hospital for observation.
By O’Ryan Johnson
Thursday, December 16, 2004
A woman in her 20s perished in a fast-moving three-alarm fire in Quincy last night despite the heroic efforts of three police officers and a neighbor to reach her, the neighbor and authorities said.
The fire started on the second floor of 25 Clive St., driving one family from the home about 8 p.m. Neighbor Michael Casey, 38, said one of the victims knocked on his door asking to use the phone and said their home was on fire.
``Someone was trapped inside,'' he said, ``so I wet a towel down threw it over my head and went in.''
But Casey and three police officers, Roger White, Paul Brown and John McGowan, were turned back by smoke and flames after reaching the second floor. Authorities did not say where the woman's body was found.
``I can't say enough about their heroism and courage,'' Quincy police Chief Robert Crowley said.
White and Brown were on duty but McGowan, who lives nearby, was off duty.
Fire Chief Paul O'Connell said his men were still battling the fire at 9 p.m. Police Sgt. Jefferey Burrell said state police homicide detectives and the state fire marshal's office would be called in to investigate - standard procedure in fatal fires.
An elderly survivor was taken to a local hospital for observation.
