Six years ago Tuesday, nine Charleston firefighters went to their deaths when a rolling inferno trapped them inside a massive furniture outlet in West Ashley. As they have every year since, city officials, firefighters, families of the fallen and community members will gather on the site of the Sofa Super Store blaze to mark the somber anniversary. A remembrance ceremony will take place at 7 p.m. at the former store site at 1807 Savannah Highway, now a grass-covered, landscaped city park. The ceremony, as in past years, will be a muted, solemn affair. Members of the Charleston Fire Department will line up in formation as the names of the nine men are read aloud: Brad Baity, Mike Benke, Melvin Champaign, Earl Drayton, Mike French, Billy Hutchinson, Mark Kelsey, Louis Mulkey and Brandon Thompson. A bell will ring for each, followed by bagpipes.
Posted on: Tue, 18 Jun 2013 20:58:06 +0000
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