iradiophilly | News - Philadelphia Firefighter, Citizen Die in North Philly; Below Zero Tonight; McNabb Fired From ESPN

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Philadelphia Firefighter, Citizen Die in North Philly; Below Zero Tonight; McNabb Fired From ESPN

by: iradioal - Philadelphia, PA
started: 01/06/18 5:42 pm | updated: 01/06/18 5:42 pm

A fire in North Philadelphia this morning has claimed the life of a veteran firefighter and a resident of the home. 42-year-old Lt. Matt LeTourneau, an 11-year veteran, was pulled from the fire after an interior collapse. Two other firefighters were also injured as well as a neighbor who was taken to the hospital in critical
condition to be treated. Crews arrived this morning around 9:30 a.m. to find heavy smoke and flames pouring from a row home on the 2200 block of North Colorado Street. One person inside the home was killed. They have not been identified. As firefighters were inside fighting the blaze, there was an interior collapse. Lt. Letorneau was critically injured after being pinned under the ruble. He was trapped for around 30 minutes. He was taken to Temple University Hospital after being pulled from the building and died there. Fire Commissioner Adam K. Thiel said this afternoon, "Our hearts are breaking, and we are without words." Two other firefighters were also taken to the hospital with lesser injuries and are expected to be ok. The fire was placed under control just before 11 a.m. The freezing conditions made the fire especially hard to fight. No word on the cause of the fire at this time.

Lt. Matthew LeTourneau was a member of Engine 45. He had previously served as a member of Engine 43 and Engine 57. He was promoted to lieutenant in 2015. He received a unit citation in 2010 and a letter of commendation for his service during the World Meeting of Families in 2015. LeTourneau is from Springfield, Delaware County. He graduated from Cardinal O'Hara High School in 1993 and received an associate's degree in fire science from Delaware County Community College. He is a Life Member of the Springfield Fire Company. An escorted procession was held on Saturday afternoon to bring LeTourneau's body from Philadelphia past the Springfield Fire Department to O'Leary Funeral Home. Arrangements have not been determined.

Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney released this statement:
"I am deeply saddened to hear of the loss of Lt. Matthew LeTourneau. I am grateful for his outstanding service to our city during his 11-year career. It is always a tragedy to lose a first responder in the line of duty. Lt. LeTourneau sacrificed his life trying to save others. Our firefighters demonstrate tremendous acts of heroism every single day. I extend my sincerest condolences to his family. Please keep his loved ones in your thoughts and prayers during this very difficult time."

It's only going to get colder before it gets warmer. A Wind Chill Advisory is still in effect until Sunday at 10 am for wind chills ranging from -5 to -15 degrees. Saturday's forecast high is only 16 in Philadelphia. Overnight Saturday into Sunday morning the area could dip down to the coldest levels in a generation with many places bottoming out at 0 or below. The last time the official temperature at the Philadelphia International Airport was at or below 0 degrees was on January 1, 1994 when it recorded -5 degrees. The forecast low for this Sunday morning is at -1 degrees. Luckily, this extended cold streak is almost over. Temperatures will finally begin to moderate with highs reaching the 50s by the end of next week.

Former Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb has been officialy fired by ESPN after a month-long investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct. The cable sports network also fired former NFL cornerback Eric Davis. The accusations come from Jami Cantor, a former wardrobe stylist at the NFL Network who worked from 2006 to 2016. Both men were named in a wrongful termination lawsuit filed by Cantor in October. She claimed that McNabb sent her lewd and inappropriate sexual text messages. Davis is accused of making lewd comments and inappropriate contact. Cantor also made allegations against Warren Sapp, Ike Taylor, Marshall Faulk, and Heath Evans. Even though the conduct allegedly occurred at NFL Network, ESPN suspended McNabb and Davis before conducting their own investigation which led to their dismissals.

Weather
Today, Sunny, windy, high 16
Saturday Night, Clear skies, low -1