On Saturday, May 21, 2022, members of the Fire Department of New York (FDNY) paid tribute to those who lost their lives from illness at the New York Telephone Company fire.
FDNY members, families, and friends gathered at the FDNY Fire Academy for a plaque dedication commemorating the firefighters who succumbed to illness as a result of operating at the fire, which occurred on February 27, 1975.
As the department noted in a social media post, the fire led to education and advocacy of the hazardous carcinogens and toxins that FDNY members face while operating at fires and emergencies. Approximately 700 FDNY members operated at the incident; although no one died in the fire itself, it is believed that many people have succumbed to the after-effects of the fire, according to a report from the New York Daily News.
Advocated and retired FDNY Firefighter Danny Noonan told reporters from the News that it is believed that hundreds were afflicted by the fire’s lingering effects, with approximately 40% developing some form of cancer subsequently. “If you inhaled the smoke, it felt like you were swallowing razorblades,” Noonan told reporters.
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