Charlotte Fire identifies two killed in massive SouthPark construction fire

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Walter Morris said his nephew was in a construction crane above the site and could not get down initially because the flames were so high. "And that could expand the fire much quicker than you can see on the outside than inside," Johnson said. "And when you start to see the amount of black smoke coming out of that building - Our firefighters will tell you that black smoke is fuel." At a construction site on the 7700 block of Liberty Row Drive, across the street from SouthPark Mall. One person was taken to the hospital and is expected to recover, paramedics said.

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Charlotte Fire Marshal Kevin Miller explicitly told WBTV no one from the fire department ever visited the site during an interview in July. (WBTV) - A Charlotte Fire Department inspector visited the South Park construction site that caught fire in late May just seven days before the blaze. Police were eventually able to clear the home, Jennings said. Two people inside, one of them 17 years old, were detained as persons of interest. "It was just last month I was in this very room congratulating Officer Eyer for becoming officer of the month in April," Police Chief Johnny Jennings said. "And he certainly dedicated his life and gave his life to serve our citizens."

law enforcement officers killed, 5 injured in Charlotte shooting

On Thursday, fire officials confirmed that 15 workers were rescued from the blaze. Firefighters were able to rescue a crane operator who had been trapped high above the smoke and flames. As of mid Thursday afternoon, the department said, two construction workers were unaccounted for. Another company of firefighters battled dangerous flames in order to successfully rescue a worker trapped atop a construction crane. Before that worker could climb down, firefighters brought him "protective equipment" to help him manage the intense heat of the crane and its ladder during his descent.

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Charlotte Fire asked anyone unable to locate family members who were working at the construction site to call 911. Police shared the same information, saying an officer will complete a missing persons report. They asked family to provide the person’s full name, date of birth, physical description and a recent photo. A crane operator was stuck in the cab high above the fire and fortunately, first responders later rescued the worker. Once again, Biden was seeking to be an empathetic leader for a community reeling from gun violence, while also calling for stricter rules around firearms and more money for law enforcement on the front lines.

WCNC Charlotte Forecaster Larry Sprinkle said, due to the smoke, the air quality skyrocketed to the "very unhealthy" level. Sprinkle strongly encouraged everyone to stay inside because the dense smoke is in the air, and experts aren't aware yet what is in the smoke chemical-wise. "A Mayday is required when we have to send other firefighters to rescue those companies," the fire official explained.

“Obviously, the building's still in a state where it is not safe for all of our members to go in,” Johnson said. The chief said investigators aren't sure what set off the blaze and haven't been able to do a thorough investigation of the trailer. "The fire spread rapidly," Johnson said at the news conference Friday. "We watched it start to smoke gradually, and then we saw the smoke get bigger, and then, initially, the front of the building caught on fire," the witness described. The cloud of smoke from the fire was so thick it was registering on the radar.

The Aftermath Of Monday's Deadly Shooting Shows A Damaged Neighborhood And A Heartbroken Community

They said when the flames sparked, the workers themselves tried to put out the fire. But because of how quickly it spread, it was impossible for the workers to get it under control. Video released by the department shows flames and smoke billowing from a structure in the 7700 block of Liberty Row Drive. Fifteen construction workers were rescued by firefighters. Fire officials say two maydays were called during the rescue missions and firefighters had to go in to assist their colleagues who called the maydays.

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According to Miller, a fire sprinkler contractor reached out to an inspector and scheduled an inspection. The internal document also contradicts claims by Charlotte Fire officials that the department had no records related to the Liberty Row Drive construction project and had not been contacted by the contractor. Eyer, the CMPD officer whose death was announced Monday night, is survived by his wife and a 3-year-old son, the police chief said. Officials believe two people fired at law enforcement, Jennings said.

Download the WCNC Charlotte mobile app for the latest breaking news, weather and traffic alerts. Jennings believes all of the officers were shot by Hughes. "The suspect had the upper advantage to the officers," Jenning said. Officers were shot when approaching the home, according to CMPD.

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Marshals fugitive task force tried to serve a warrant in Charlotte, N.C., the police said, in one of the deadliest days for law enforcement in recent years. "We mourn for them and their loved ones. And we pray for the recoveries of the courageous officers who were wounded," the president said in a statement. He also called for more funding for law enforcement and for Congress to do more to combat gun violence. A Charlotte-Mecklenburg police sergeant was on the task force but was not struck by gunfire, Jennings said. The sergeant called for backup, and that's when the four responding Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officers were shot, Jennings said.

Firefighters were trying to reach the two trapped construction workers, but firefighters had to declare their own "mayday" during the rescue attempt. A construction worker on the scene of the massive fire told WCNC Charlotte that he and his crew were working in the building before the massive blaze. He said the 7-story building was set to become a 239-unit luxury multifamily community, known as Modera SouthPark.

Charlotte Fire Chief Reginald Johnson said firefighters rescued 15 workers from the building, including one who was on a crane. Paramedics said he was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. They said two more people were evaluated but were not transported.

Firefighters themselves had to be rescued after they became trapped while rescuing others in the fast-moving fire. One of the firefighters heard the cries of people trapped on the sixth floor but couldn't see them through the smoke, Johnson said. "I am deeply saddened by the shooting that occurred," Vi Lyles, Charlotte's mayor, said on X, the social media site formerly known as Twitter. "I ask that all Charlotteans keep them, and the other injured officers, and their families in your thoughts and prayers during this incredibly difficult time." As the police approached the shooter, Chief Jennings told reporters, the officers were met with more gunfire from inside the home. After a long standoff, two women in the home were taken to a police station to be interviewed, the police later said in a statement.

That's when crews get trapped or have access issues escaping due to how quickly the fire is moving. More than 90 firefighters heroically rescued 15 workers from the construction site, including one on a crane at the top. The fire swept through the building in minutes, sending workers running. Fifteen workers were rescued, and two companies of firefighters had to transmit "maydays" to be rescued themselves. Emergency crews worked for hours Thursday morning to extinguish a five-alarm fire at a construction site in south Charlotte that left an apartment building under construction totally destroyed.