[californiadisasters] Second S.F. FF Dies From Injuries

Second S.F. firefighter dies from injuries

John Coté, Chronicle Staff Writer

San Francisco Chronicle June 4, 2011 10:36 AM Copyright San Francisco Chronicle. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Saturday, June 4, 2011

(06-04) 10:36 PDT San Francisco -- A second San Francisco firefighter died early this morning, victim of a deadly house fire in San Francisco's Diamond Heights neighborhood.

Anthony "Tony" Valerio, a 53-year-old firefighter and paramedic critically injured in the Thursday blaze, died at San Francisco General Hospital at about 7:40 a.m., city officials said.

Dozens of grim-faced firefighters from across the city flocked to the hospital to pay tribute to Valerio, whose death was yet another blow to the city, its firefighters and Engine Company 26.

The Diamond Heights station crew had already lost Lt. Vincent Perez, who died Thursday after being rushed to the hospital with Valerio and a third firefighter, Tracy Courtney. Courtney was released after being treated for minor burns and smoke inhalation.

Perez and Valerio were found on the floor inside the home at 133 Berkeley Way after apparently being caught in a flash fire caused by superheated gases while battling the blaze.

Valerio had fought for life for almost two days after being pulled from the blaze with Perez, but his lungs were damaged from smoke and filled with fluid, Tom O'Connor, president of the San Francisco firefighter union, had said Friday. Valerio also suffered a heart attack at the scene of the fire.

He needed a ventilator to breathe and was "medically paralyzed," his family had said.

Source: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/06/04/BA2F1JPNS2.DTL#ixzz1OLD6koPd

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