Two Bridgeport Firefighters Killed

Two Bridgeport firefighters died Saturday afternoon fighting a house fire. Lt. Steven Velasquez and Michel Baik were killed on the third floor of a Bridgeport house.They were the furthest two firefighters inside the house when something went wrong.

According to Bridgeport Mayor Bill Finch, two may day calls were made, but Velasquez and Baik were not able to make it out safely. They were found unconscious inside the house and fellow firefighters immediately administered CPR. Velazquez and Baik were not able to be revived and were pronounced dead at the hospital.

The call for a house fire at 41 Elmwood Avenue came in to the fire department at 3:48p.m. Mayor Finch said firefighters responded from the interior and from the outside. The two men did not have hoses, and were providing assistance for the other firefighters.

Everyone inside the the home was rescued without injury. Three other firefighters were hurt with either broken bones or heat exhaustion. They are expected to be ok.

Lt. Steven Velasquez was promoted in February. He was recently married and has an infant.

"When we told his wife, she was holding the infant. It's very tough," said Mayor Finch.

Michel Baik is father of three and has been on the fire department for two years.

Fairfield Fire Department is now helping with mutual aid because firefighters on the scene will not be allowed to return to active duty until they receive counseling. Nearly half the fire department responded to the fire.

The cause of the fire is under investigation. This was the first on duty firefighter fatality in Bridgeport since 1999.

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