Across town, at the old cold storage warehouse, another fire was beginning it wrath. It started out small in a trashcan, placed by HIM, in the middle of the building. The building hadn't been occupied in almost 15 years. HE use to sneak in there when he was a kid, and play hide and go seek with his friends. He'd often get caught. The cops would bring him home, where his Dad would whip him with the thick leather belt. HE hated that belt. Every time he saw a belt that looked like it, it would bring back nightmares.



HE watched, the fire in the trashcan grow. HE watched the warm, orange, glow of the fire get bigger. HE looked over at the three buckets of Anhydrous Ammonia he placed in various parts of the building. He had found the hidden away, in one of the coolers. Tonight, there were going to be Fireworks. HE will light up the sky, like the Fourth of July. On his way out, he dumped a trail of gasoline; it would only add fuel to the inferno.

The warehouse was old, built in 1913. It was about 875,000 square feet. All the open space in the world, for the fire to unleash its almighty power. The walks were made with 17-inch thick-brick, they had about 12 inches of asphalt-impregnated cork like substance along them. It also had a layer of polystyrene and or/foam glass on top of that and yet another layer of glass board on the foam glass. It would and could act as an oven during a fire. With nowhere for the heat to escape, it would be like a holocaust inside.

The floors of the warehouse were wooden, with the exception of the basement, first and second floors, which had, concrete flooring. The joists themselves were made of heavy wood timber. The total of 10 windows through out the whole building had been covered with plywood. Any firefighting team entering the building would be a great risk.

Joe Lombardo, DK, Billy Walsh, and the rest of the gang were just starting to eat their dinner. When the tones came through. Engine 55, Tower 100 a report of smoke coming from Chilly Willy Cold Storage, 87th and Lexington. 55-2 Boyd you are needed for stand by.

"Every damn time I try to sit down and eat a good meal, someone or something has to ruin it!" Lombardo said as he got up from the table. "Why can't we get called from the table when Nieto is cooking, because then we won't be missing anything."

"Hey I heard that." Carlos said trying to defend himself.

"Good! You were suppose too." DK said to him.

They climbed into engine 55, Carlos and Doc got into the bus. They pulled out into the streets.

They donned their Scott Packs on the way to the fire. It was part of their usual routine, but this was going to be a not so routine fire.

"We gotta ourselves a header." Lieutenant Johnson said, from the front passengers seat.

"Shake and bake boys!" Lombardo yelled.

Engine 55 pulled up on to the scene. "This is Engine 55 and Tower 100, on the scene at 87th and Lexington, with a confirmed 10-75, please dispatch, other units to this location." Lt. Johnson said over the radio.

"10-4 Engine 55 and Tower 100, I will dispatch more units to your location." The dispatcher said back to him.

"Okay I want ya guys to be smart in there. Keep your eyes and hears open as much as possible. This place here has been abandoned for years, so there is really no serious property loss here. Just take your time, we're not here to place Superman, we're here to put the fire out, get back to the station and eat our dinner. I came here with 8 men, and I'm leaving with 8 men. Got it!" Lt. Johnson said.

Lombardo and DK saluted, and grabbed their irons. Lombardo gave the building a one last look over before making his way in. They made their way into the building. There was very light smoke. No flames that they could see just yet.

HE stood in the crowd of people gathering in front of the warehouse, HE looked at HIS watch. It had been almost 30 minuets since he first lit the fire. He wondered how the fire was burning? What was it doing? Where was it going? Was it any where near the Anhydrous Ammonia? He couldn't wait for the big bang. Once he heard it, he knew his mission was a success.

Outside Engine 89 and Tower 121 arrived at the scene, and began their hook up the hydrant. Engine 89 stopped at the Hydrant that was North bound on 87th, two blocks from the fire itself. They hooked up to the hydrant and laid about 1500 feet of 5 inch hose to Tower 121, which was already getting ready with their master stream. They hooked up into Tower 121. Engine 55 had taken the hydrant that was directly across the street from the Warehouse. They had water following and 2 ½ inch line fully charged and waiting at the door when Lombardo and DK returned.

"We only have light smoke so far, no fire." DK said as he took his mask off and wiped some sweat off his brow. He and Lombardo picked up the line. He put his mask back on. They both made their way into the building, not knowing one would never return.

The next of the incoming engine and truck companies were arriving at the scene. Lt. Johnson approached Engine 46 and advised them they would be search-and-rescue. He wasn't sure if there was anyone trapped, but homeless people had been known to crash there every now and then. He figured he'd rather be safe then sorry.

Lombardo and DK slowly made their way through the building. Both were keeping their rights hand along the wall and searching with there, left hands and feet. Lombardo was up front, dragging the hose along with him, while DK followed close behind him, sweeping his ax along the floor with his left hand. Hoping that if someone was trapped inside he would come upon them. He knew the vast open space in the building. He had been in there many, many times doing building inspections and what not.

Both Lombardo and DK noticed the smoke, getting darker and thicker. It was almost getting impossible to see their hands right in front of their faces. Lombardo stopped for a seconds, and turned around. He nodded at DK. DK knew what he was think We must be near the source of the fire. They then continued on their trek.

Lombardo radioed back to Lt. Johnson. It was very muffled, as he tried to speak over the noise his SCBA made. "We must be getting near the fire, the smoke is getting thicker and darker. I'm on the second floor in the west corridor." He said in a muffled raspy voice.

"10-4, Engine 55." He said, while glancing at the warehouse, seeing the thick toxic smoke pour from the building. It puffed and puffed. Lt. Johnson pictured the smoke as The Little Engine That Could. "I think I can, I think I can, I think I can." Johnson said to himself with each puff of smoke.

With each puff of smoke, it grew thicker, and darker. Lombardo and DK, kept on moving, they knew they were almost there, and soon they'd be returning to quarters. Suddenly there was an eerie ringing sound. Lombardo turned around and looked at DK. He was running low on air. They would both have to back out. They slowly made their way backwards, as they did that though. The smoke got even darker. Even more thicker. The heat began to intensify. They though they knew their way out; but some how Lombardo and DK seemed to get disoriented. They couldn't seem to find the way out. Even though both swore that they were following the same way out as they followed the same way in, but still couldn't find the door.

Outside Lieutenant Johnson could see that the situation was getting worse. He radioed up to Lombardo. "Engine 55, be advised you need to evacuate the building."

"We're lost! We can't find out way out, I don't know where we are. My partner's pack is running out." Lombardo said in a frantic voice.

"10-4 Engine 55, stay clam. I'm sending in a crew to find you." He looked at the building. He saw that the light smoke that they came upon when they first arrived at the scene was now a toxic hell. "Central this is Engine 55 upgrade my 2-11 to a 5-11, I have firemen trapped and heavy thick smoke."

Soon two other firemen from Engine 27 were donning their Scott Packs and entering the building, in search of two missing brothers.

Lieutenant Johnson sighed loudly. The routine fire call had now gone to hell. Two of his own men were lost some where inside that hell too. It had been over 5 minuets since his last radio transmission with Lombardo and DK. "Engine 55. Where are you?" He asked. There was no response. "Engine 55 this is command what is your location." His voice cracked.

The crew from Engine 27 was still inside searching. "This is Engine 27, the conditions in here are hell. The smoke is thick and acrid. The heat is getting intense…….."

Suddenly his transmission was cut of by the sound of a loud, thunderous explosion. It was the first large bucket of Anhydrous Ammonia going up.

HE heard the loud bomb and smiled. Watching as the firefighters franticly ran around the fire ground. He was happy with his job, and left the scene, smiling to himself.

"Engine 27 and Engine 55 this is command do you copy!"

There was nothing but static.

Lt. Johnson's voice cracked with fear. He now feared that he had four men missing and not two. "Engine 27 and Engine 55 this is command, are you okay?"

There was still nothing but silence, nothing but dead air, from both Engine's 27 and 55.

Rescue 1 was now on the scene. They were the best of the best. A fireman's-firemen. They were trained in various elite rescue techniques. Two of the men where already inside looking for the crew of Engine 55 and right behind them there were two more entering to search for Engine 27's missing brothers.

The hustle and bustle around the fire ground seemed to slow. As they waited minuet after pain staking minuet to hear anything about "Their Brothers." Who were still inside missing and presumed dead.

It wasn't two long before the last of the two containers of Anhydrous Ammonia blew up. It then became a reality. No one was coming out of that building alive. Not Lombardo, not DK, and not any of the other six firefighters who went in inside in search of their fallen brothers'. They had just lost 8 great men.

HE AINT HEAVY HE'S MY BROTHER

BY: The Hollies

The Road is long

With many a winding turn

That leads us to who knows where

Who knows when

But I'm strong

Strong enough to carry him

He ain't heavy, he's my brother

So on we go

His welfare is of my concern

No burden is he to bear

We'll get there

For I know

He would not encumber me

He ain't heavy, he's my brother

If I'm laden at all

I'm laden with sadness

That everyone's heart

Isn't filled with the gladness

Of love for one another

It's a long, long road

From which there is no return

While we're on the way to there

Why not share

And the load

Doesn't weigh me down at all

He ain't heavy, he's my brother.

He's my brother

He aint heavy, he's my brother.