On Sunday, August 13, 2006, Lieutenant Arnie Wolff, assigned to the ambulance for the shift responded to a call at 438 Edgewood Drive around 12:30 afternoon. Upon arrival Lt. Wolff and his partner were assigned to assist the first due engine with attaching the 5-inch supply line to the engine for water supply. The engine company they were assisting with the supply line was currently conducting an attack on a suspected basement fire, while the ladder company was performing horizontal ventilation of the structure. The Incident Commander had then requested Lt. Wolff and his partner to conduct a primary search of the residence. With a few steps into the residence at around 12:34 PM, while beginning a lefthanded search, it was quickly noted there was near zero visibility with minimal heat conditions. Due to these conditions, the crew knelt down, sounded the ceramic floor and took one crawling step to advance in. Moments later, a large crack was heard just before the floor gave way, sending both firefighters into the basement.

A second alarm was immediately requested by the IC and rescue efforts began. The firefighter with Lt. Wolff fell into a finished portion of the basement and was assisted through a basement window by fellow firefighters. Lt Wolff fell into a room of the basement that did not have windows and his path to an exit was blocked. Due to the advanced fire conditions after the collapse, firefighters were unable to reach Lt. Wolff. His body was recovered 13 hours into the incident and his cause of death was asphyxiation due to smoke inhalation.

An autopsy was later performed and it was found that the carboxyhemoglobin level in Lieutenant Wolff's blood was 49.6 percent. The cause of the fire at the time was undetermined but it was concluded that the fire had been burning for some time in the basement prior to its discovery. The trusses that failed were in the area that was most damaged by fire. It is to be noted, the trusses that failed were TGI trusses, an engineered lumber product.

Fire Fighter Fatality Investigation Report F2006-26 | NIOSH | CDC

Arnie Wolff joined the Green Bay Fire Department in January 1989 and was currently assigned to Engine 451 at Station 5 and was also a paramedic. He was 5 days from receiving his promotion to lieutenant and was awarded it posthumously. Wolff leaves behind his wife and three children.

We remember…

Lt. Arnie (Arnold) Wolff, 55, Engine 451, Green Bay Fire Department