2411 Kensington Avenue, 4:34 AM, by JOE KACZMAREK
RELATED: Two firefighters who were battling a massive blaze at an abandoned warehouse Monday were killed when an adjacent furniture store they were inspecting collapsed, burying them in a pile of debris, authorities said. It took about two hours to extract the bodies of Lt. Robert Neary, 60, and firefighter Daniel Sweeney, 25, because of all the debris, Fire Commissioner Lloyd Ayers said at a news conference. Two other firefighters were rescued and taken to a hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries. The blaze in the city’s Kensington section started around 3:15 a.m. and quickly spread. Dozens of nearby homes were evacuated and the firefighters were trying to make sure that the blaze was out at the furniture store when a wall and roof collapsed, Ayers said. Both firefighters were respected members of the department and had been commended for a long list of rescues over the years, Ayers said. MORE
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