St Johnsbury Backdraft

I snuck out of the house at 9 years old to watch this fire.

Fire in a Mixed Occupancy Balloon Frame 5 Story Building, just after midnight, almost 30 people in the building in apartments on the upper floors - did not want to evacuate. Initial conditions were nothing visible on the outside and light smoke on Division 2 - things went downhill rapidly a few minutes into the call around 1:15am when conditions went from minor to major with smoke boiling from the upper floors. The firefighters evacuated shortly after and the 2nd floor collapsed. In the end, the fire was seven alarms and 3 civilians lost their lives. Watching this, you're about a block away and the firefighters are at an 45° angle to the A-side of the structure. - thanks to firefighterclosecalls.com for the video and Fire Chief Troy Ruggles from St. Johnsbury, VT for sharing it with them.