LON SLEPICKA
Firehouse.Com News

 A six-alarm fire Monday evening in Dallas took the life of a firefighter/ paramedic when a wall collapsed on him and another firefighter.

Vincent Davis, a ten-year Dallas Fire-Rescue veteran, was pulled from the rubble, transported to Methodist Medical Center and died around 7 p.m. Fellow firefighter/paramedic Chuck Womble was treated and released for a mild concussion and leg injuries.

According to Dallas Fire-Rescue PIO Lieutenant Doug Dickerson, the fire began about 5:30 p.m. in a building unoccupied and under renovation at the Creekside Hills apartment complex. The fire was quickly upgraded to six alarms, which drew more than 100 firefighters, 19 engines and six ladder trucks.

"When the collapse occurred, we knew pretty much right away that the firefighters were trapped and rescue efforts were underway almost immediately...our efforts switched to rescue. We tried to keep the main body of fire away from the area of the rescue," Dickerson said.

Fire officials said that Davis is married with five children ages 2 to 14. He was working out of Station 26 on C shift.

Mr. Davis' death was the first fatality of a Dallas firefighter in a blaze since Dale Wayne Rhine died in February 1987 while fighting a house fire in Oak Cliff, according to fire department records.

There was a Critical Incident Stress Management Team on the scene last night working at a nearby fire station with the companies involved in the rescue, Dickerson said. "We made sure we addressed that before those companies left the scene," he said. Peer counselors were available and all companies at the incident were being debriefed.

Texas State Fire Marshall's Office, Dallas Fire-Rescue investigators and an ATF team were on the scene looking into the cause of the fire and the fatality, Dickerson said.

All arrangements are pending and will be posted on Firehouse.com and the Dallas Fire-Rescue  web site.

Funeral Arrangements Set for Fallen Dallas Firefighter

Arrangements have been made for fallen Dallas firefighter Vincent L. Davis. There will be a wake on Friday, February 15, 2002 from 12:00 noon until 5:00 p.m. The wake will be held at the Laurel Land Funeral Home, 6000 S. R.L. Thornton Freeway in Dallas. Laurel Land Funeral Home may be contacted at 214.371.1336.

Funeral services will be held at Concord Baptist Church, 6808 Boulder Drive in Dallas. The service is scheduled to begin at 10:00 a.m.