On December 3, 1999, the call crackled in to the men of the Worchester, Massachusetts, fire department: a three-alarm warehouse blaze in a six-story windowless colossus of brick and mortar. Firefighters love the excitement of a “triple.” But this was a different beast. Rollovers, flashovers, backdrafts, this one had it all. Once inside, they found themselves trapped in a snarling furnace of blazing orange heat as hot as a crematorium, with smoke so black and predatory they had to feel for their partners next to them. Swallowed deep in the building, with no way out, they struggled to survive an ill-fated ordeal that would push them to the very limits of loyalty and courage. What happened next—and how their lives and community were changed forever—offers an unprecedented look at these heroic men whose job it is to rush into burning buildings when everyone else just wants out.
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"A really good read not just for firefighters, but for everyone. This book doesn't just concern the fire, but also the lives of the firefighters before the blaze, and the after effects that the losses brought about with both brother firefighters, but also the families. Highly recommend."
— Craig (5 out of 5 stars)
" Gripping account of the Worcester MA warehouse fire. "
— Anne, 10/31/2013" This book really hit me hard. Amazing book "
— William, 3/24/2013" Swiped this one off my firefighter brother's bookshelf. Sobering and sad...it made me proud of my brother, and a little scared for him, too. "
— Amy, 10/26/2012" This book was amazing! Well written. Will leave you haunted and a bit fire crazy for days. I think I'll start it again! Read it! "
— Abby, 9/17/2012" This book hurt, I know John Sullivan from Engine 3 and could feel his anguish when he came out of the building and was looking for his 2 lost firefighters. "
— Al, 7/30/2012" A beautiful tribute to the lost firefighters' lives. "
— Barb, 5/30/2012" This is a great account of the Worcester Cold Storage Building fire that took the lives of 6 firefighters. The author provides an excellent backdrop of the families and the brotherhood of firefighters. It is a quick read and worth picking up. "
— Craig, 4/14/2012" Very well done, great writing, a heartbreaking story done very well. "
— Jim, 2/18/2012" Very well done, great writing, a heartbreaking story done very well. "
— Jim, 3/27/2011" Gripping account of the Worcester MA warehouse fire. "
— Anne, 6/21/2009" This is a great account of the Worcester Cold Storage Building fire that took the lives of 6 firefighters. The author provides an excellent backdrop of the families and the brotherhood of firefighters. It is a quick read and worth picking up. "
— Craig, 2/4/2009" This book hurt, I know John Sullivan from Engine 3 and could feel his anguish when he came out of the building and was looking for his 2 lost firefighters. "
— Al, 8/4/2007Sean Flynn is a National Magazine Award–winning journalist and author who has reported from six continents during the past thirty years. A long-time correspondent for GQ magazine, his work has been widely anthologized and translated into nearly a dozen languages.
Richard Rohan is a stage, film, and voice-over actor who has narrated hundreds of audiobooks over the last decade, in every genre. He is particularly proud of his work as director and performer on the acclaimed Space Fantasy audio drama series Deathstalker.