Buffalo Firefighter Dies While Battling Downtown Blaze

Buffalo Firefighter Dies While Battling Downtown Blaze
Firefighters battle a blaze in Buffalo, N.Y., on March 1, 2023. WKBW via AP
The Associated Press
Updated:
0:00

BUFFALO, N.Y.—A firefighter died inside a burning commercial building in downtown Buffalo, New York, on Wednesday, where a fire and sudden blast sent flames and smoke billowing into the street.

Video recorded by bystanders showed teams of firefighters outside the building being knocked over and enveloped in a cloud of ash, then flailing to regain control of spraying hoses. Fire Commissioner William Renaldo said the fireball was likely caused by a backdraft, which he said occurs when oxygen is “sucked into the building and then blown back.”