Fire deaths blamed on poor training
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Inadequate training, outdated tactics and aging equipment helped lead to the deaths of nine Charleston firefighters battling a furniture store blaze last year, according to a long-awaited expert analysis.
The report said firefighters did not follow standard safety practices and had obsolete equipment when battling the June 18 blaze. The report also said that if a sprinkler system had been installed, the fire likely would have been confined to the loading dock where it started.
The fire killed more firefighters than any emergency since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.
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