Grief counselors are at Whitman Middle School today to help students and faculty cope with the loss of 13-year-old Joseph Gebregiorgis, who died in Saturday’s fatal fire.
According to KING 5, Gebregiorgis was a well-liked student. “He was a great kid. You just couldn’t help not noticing him. He always had a smile and cute dimples,” Rose Bumgarner, a security guard at Whitman says.
You can watch the video above or read the entire piece here.
Engine 81 being used as Engine 18 before being towed away after Saturday’s fire.
Meanwhile, the fire department is still looking into why Ballard-based Engine 18 malfunctioned. Seattle Fire Chief Gregory Dean tells the Seattle Times that the “Fire Department likely will end up looking at all engines that have similar equipment to see if they have experienced lever malfunctions.”
You can read the Times article by Jennifer Sullivan and Sandi Doughton here.
![](https://www.myballard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024-My-Ballard-Tile-Ad-Troop-100.png")
The fire engine being towed away in the picture is not a 2008. The 2008 Engine 18 has roll up compartment doors and not “swing-outs.” The news article is wrong.
FireBuff is right this rig that broke down on the scene was a reserve rig. This rig was either a 1995 or 1996 E-one that broke down.
Thank you! I’ve taken that reference out given the recent developments that the truck in use was engine 81, put in service in 1996. ~Kate
https://www.myballard.com/2010/06/14/engine-18-crew-using-back-up-engine-on-saturday/
The report should have stated how many minutes later did the backup Fire engine turn up at the scene? because i believe the time it took for the backup Fire engine to get there may have costed the lives of 4 kids and their mother.
The next engine arrived next approximately 2.5 minutes later.
I’m sure the investigation will address whether or not the 2.5 minute delay in water was contributory. I don’t think it was. The fire conditions upon SFD arrival were unlikely to be survivable. I wasn’t there but I watched the raw video from KIRO (before it was pulled) that showed flashover conditions on both floors upon SFD arrival and I base my opinion on 20 years of being a firefighter. Upon what expertise do you base your belief Daniel Jackson?
You couldn’t even bother to get the facts of the relationship of the victims correct – nice attention to detail.