Update: 2 workers killed as massive fire destroys SouthPark apartment building under construction

Table Of Content

• Deadly fire breaks out at construction site in SouthPark area of Charlotte
• Biden stops in Charlotte during his NC trip to meet families of fallen law enforcement officers
• Royal Caribbean worker arrested at Port Everglades for child sexual abuse material, authorities say
• Law Enforcement Officers Are Shot in Charlotte
• Bodies of 2 missing workers recovered at site of Charlotte 5-alarm fire
• The Aftermath Of Monday's Deadly Shooting Shows A Damaged Neighborhood And A Heartbroken Community

Jennings said the fallen officers were "heroes that were just simply trying to keep our community safe." "The prestigious SouthPark neighborhood sits about six miles south of Uptown Charlotte and puts residents within one mile of more than 65 restaurants, 1,200 hotel rooms and various entertainment options." The Charlotte Fire Department says it is battling a massive blaze Thursday at a construction site in the North Carolina city’s SouthPark area. The fire chief also maintained that the fire was accidental, and said it appears to have been sparked by a spray insulation foam trailer fire. Within hours of the fire breaking out, firefighters said 15 people were rescued, but two were unaccounted for.

Deadly fire breaks out at construction site in SouthPark area of Charlotte

The site of the fire had two twin buildings that were under construction. Firefighters did successfully extinguish small fires that had spread to the second building. That second building was largely undamaged during the five-alarm fire across the street.

Biden stops in Charlotte during his NC trip to meet families of fallen law enforcement officers

Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools confirmed four schools were on a modified lockdown due to the shooting. The schools were Devonshire Elementary School, Briarwood Academy, Cochrane Collegiate and Lawrence Orr Elementary School. Officers questioned two people who were found inside the house during the standoff. CMPD said Tuesday those two people have not been charged with anything at this time. WBTV obtained a copy of the Charlotte Fire Department’s investigative file, giving a first-hand look at what fire investigators know and a second-by-second account of what happened.

Royal Caribbean worker arrested at Port Everglades for child sexual abuse material, authorities say

For more than an hour, firefighters were attempting to help the crane operator trapped on a construction crane surrounded by the blazing structure, the outlet reported, citing emergency radio. Fire officials said crews had several "maydays," which means crews were either trapped or had access issues when escaping. In total, 15 workers were rescued from the site and no firefighters were injured. The shooting investigation impacted many Charlotte drivers.

"Then firefighters climbed over 100 feet up the crane to help rescue the operator who had begun climbing down," the official added. "I see all these gentlemen sitting out here, and I am just hoping they and all their friends and workers got out safely." A plume of thick, black smoke took over Charlotte skies Thursday morning, coming from a construction site that caught fire in the South Park area.

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.

Charlotte fire inspector visited SouthPark site days before deadly fire

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.

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.

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

Smoke quickly clouded the area, creating respiratory issues for some as multiple agencies went to the scene to contain the massive fire. Jennings said police assisted Charlotte Fire with traffic control, as well as with the evacuation process. CMPD’s flight team also provided firefighters with a bird’s eye view, helping them determine which areas to attack. Charlotte Fire, along with numerous other city and state leaders, offered their condolences to the families of Sherrill and Holmes.

By 6 p.m., Fairview Road was reopened during the congested evening commute. Charlotte fire said while they were battling the blaze, they had several "Maydays," which means crews were either trapped or had access issues when escaping. We’ve been advised to stay away from the SouthPark area until further notice and residents who live nearby, please stay inside. Please allow @charlottefire, @CMPD, and MEDIC time to do their work and protect our city. Sáenz was sent video taken close to the scene of the fire. The video shows debris and ash falling as the flames rip through the construction site.

Fire department: Apartment building contractor broke NC rules before SouthPark fire - Yahoo News

Fire department: Apartment building contractor broke NC rules before SouthPark fire.

Posted: Wed, 07 Jun 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]

Eyer worked with CMPD's North Tryon Division for six years and was recently named the department's Officer of the Month. That same month, three officers in Baton Rouge, La., were killed, and three others were wounded in what the authorities described as an “ambush.” The gunman was killed during a shootout. Another resident, Mary Sutter, said she had trouble returning home from her job at a nearby high school because the neighborhood was so packed with police cars. “We’re all just shocked that this has happened here,” she said. After several lines of questioning, Miller provided new details about building number 7740, the one adjacent to the structure that caught fire.

Officials said firefighters were tasked with extinguishing the "very fast-moving" fire, which had high-heat conditions of well over 2,000 degrees. Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles shared a statement on Twitter asking everyone in the area to be safe and let first responders work. Quiroja said many of the workers are without their jobs and their tools, since they were forced to leave those behind when they rushed out. “They started getting out, they started screaming ‘get out, get out because the building is on fire,’” he described to Sáenz.

Thursday morning, according to the Charlotte Fire Department. Fire officials said over 90 firefighters fought the fire and rescued 15 workers from the burning construction site. One person had to be rescued after becoming trapped atop a crane. That person was later rescued by Charlotte firefighters and was transported by Medic with non-life-threatening injuries. Firefighters say it took more than 90 firefighters to fight the flames and 15 construction workers were rescued from the building.

(WBTV) - The Charlotte Fire Department has identified the two men killed in the massive construction fire in south Charlotte’s SouthPark neighborhood last week. Witnesses and social media video described spectacularly high flames, leaping 50 feet in the air. The fire was mostly extinguished as of noon, though firefighters were still spraying hot spots. There was ash all over the ground, and traffic was stopped on many surrounding streets. More than 90 firefighters were called to battle a massive fire at an apartment complex that was under construction near SouthPark Mall Thursday.