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CNN Live At Daybreak

Three New York Firefighters Die in Explosion

Aired June 18, 2001 - 07:01   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: All that and much more, but first, the aftermath of a tragic fire in New York City. Fire crews worked through the night to put out pockets of fire in a gutted hardware store in Queens. Three firefighters, all of them fathers, were killed in a Father's Day blaze.

CNN's Kysa Daniels has the latest now.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KYSA DANIELS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The scene is still hot as New York firefighters prepare to bury three of their own. They were killed while battling a five-alarm fire in a store of (ph) Queens Sunday afternoon. The fire started at this two-story hardware store. Flames generated more than just smoke.

THOMAS VON ESSEN, NEW YORK FIRE COMMISSIONER: They describe an explosion like a small explosion or maybe popping noises and then immediately after that a tremendous explosion that rocked people that were on the first floor so hard that they actually hit the ceiling.

DANIELS: Officials say two firefighters died when the building's brick facade fell on top of them. The other reportedly fell into the building's basement where he got trapped for hours. Even more firefighters and rescuers are among the dozens injured.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The firefighters I just finished speaking to were underneath a wall of bricks and concrete. And I saw the other firemen that were nearby them were tossed across on the street laying on the ground.

DANIELS: One hundred and ninety-eight firefighters from 44 units responded to the fire.

New York's mayor expressed his sentiments, calling it one of the city's darkest tragedies.

MAYOR RUDY GUILIANI, NEW YORK CITY: This is one of the most tragic days of - that I can remember in the city. We've lost three very, very brave and dedicated firefighters.

DANIELS: Kysa Daniels, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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