Our fallen hero

On Saturday, April 6, 2013 at 5:34 PM, Box 1232, 4^th & Monroe Streets, was struck for a basement fire at 748 South 4^th Street. This was a 4-story apartment 15’ X 60’ with a fabric store on the first floor.

At 5:45 PM, Ladder 27 was dispatched as the Rapid Intervention Team Company (RIT). Around 6:10 PM, Ladder 27 (with Captain Michael Goodwin in charge) was placed in service as the 3^rd ladder company. (Ladder 4 was dispatched to take their place as RIT.)

Ladder 27 was ordered to ventilate the third-floor roof. When companies reached the roof, they encountered heavy smoke conditions, with limited visibility.

At about 6:20 PM, while operating on the roof, Captain Goodwin lost sight of the edge of the roof and fell to the roof of the one-story storage building, where the fire had originated. He was killed instantly.

Rescue operations were started. Firefighter Andrew Godlewski received second-degree burns on his hands while trying to pull Captain Goodwin from the roof. Firefighter Godlewski was taken to Jefferson Hospital. Rescue operations had to be halted due to heavy fire coming from under the roof.

At approximately 6:36 PM, the roof collapsed taking Captain Goodwin to the basement of the storage building. Another rescue operation was started by breaching the wall in the basement to reach him. At 8:49 PM members of Ladder 27 & Engine 52 recovered Captain Goodwin’s body. He was taken to Jefferson Hospital by Medic 40, where he was pronounced dead.