Watch CBS News

Memorial At City Hall Today For Fallen Firefighters

By Jim Melwert

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Tuesday is the one-year anniversary of a massive warehouse fire in Kensington that killed two firefighters, and a tribute was held today outside of City Hall.

The memorial, held at noontime, was originally intended to remember Lt. Robert Neary and firefighter Daniel Sweeney (posthumously promoted to captain and lieutenant, respectively) who died when that Kensington warehouse collapsed on April 9th 2012 (see related story).

The memorial also honored Captain Mike Goodwin, who died Saturday when a roof collapsed from beneath him in Queen Village (see related story).

Firefighters Local 22 President Bill Gault says, "Seems April is a very tragic month for us in the fire department -- three in one year -- it's become very dangerous again."

The Kensington warehouse had received several citations from the city's licenses and inspections, and Gault says one year later nothing has changed; still, he says, there are too many vacant buildings and death traps.

"We still don't have any findings from the grand jury, and the houses are still out there, the vacants are still out there, the death traps are still out there."

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.