Michael Bushnell
Northeast News
October 13, 2015

KANSAS CITY, Missouri — Two firefighters were killed Monday evening when a building collapsed on top of them during a massive fire at an apartment building at Independence Avenue and Prospect.

Fire broke out about 7:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 12, in a second floor west apartment according to witnesses. After that, according to Angela Hinkle who lives across the street, “the building just went up almost in a flash.” All of the residents of the apartments exited the building safely. According to one resident, a dog and a cat may have also perished in the flame. The Red Cross is currently assisting 19 displaced individuals from the fire, insuring their immediate needs are met with shelter, food and prescription medication.

Fire Chief Paul Berardi said firefighters had taken on a defensive approach to the fire when at approximately 8:07 p.m., the southeast corner of the building collapsed in a driveway and sidewalk. Two mayday calls were received from firefighters trapped in the rubble and rescue operations were initiated. Both firefighters were transported by ambulance to Truman Medical Center. Snyder’s Supermarket owner Jerry James described the collapse like, “a bomb going off.”

The identity of the two firefighters is 17-year department veteran Larry J. Leggio and 13-year department veteran John V. Mesh.

“What is good for their families to remember is that they did not die in vain, they saved two civilians, carried them out of the second floor on ladders before the wall collapsed,” Berardi, in an emotional statement at a news conference earlier this morning, said.

Berardi added the investigation is ongoing and the fire department will be assisted by the Kansas City Police Department’s bomb and arson unit, as well as agents from the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.