Ricardo Torres Jr. dies in fatal New Haven firefighter incident

Ricardo Torres Jr. dies in fatal New Haven firefighter incident

Fatal New Haven firefighter death of Ricardo Torres Jr. – Obituary

Ricardo Torres Jr., a 30-year-old firefighter, tragically died in the line of duty in New Haven while battling a house fire in May 2021. A newly released federal report has revealed the circumstances surrounding his death and the failed first attempt to rescue him.

The incident occurred on May 12, 2021, when Torres and his lieutenant, Samod Rankins, responded to a fire at a multi-unit residence on Valley Street. The fire began in the basement, and Torres and Rankins entered the second-floor living room to confront the blaze. However, the situation rapidly deteriorated as Torres’s breathing apparatus ran out of air and he became separated from his team during the confusion.

As both men ran low on oxygen, Rankins lost his helmet and face piece, while Torres grew disoriented and ended up trapped between a couch and radiator. At 1:16 a.m., Torres issued a Mayday call. One minute later, Rankins also reported a firefighter down. Rankins was found first, but rescuers had to leave him temporarily due to low air supplies, delaying his removal until 1:35 a.m.

Torres was found around 1:21 a.m. with his air supply depleted. Efforts to extract him through a window were unsuccessful, and firefighters had to retreat before returning to retrieve his body at 1:33 a.m. Both Torres and Rankins were transported to a local trauma center, where Torres was declared dead at 2:12 a.m. Rankins, who later sued the city in hopes of returning to work, was taken to a specialized hospital and eventually retired.

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has since recommended numerous safety improvements for the fire department, including better air management, Mayday training, crew integrity during operations, and assigning dedicated safety officers during incidents. Fire Chief John Alston confirmed that several procedural changes have already been implemented.

Mayor Justin Elicker acknowledged the department’s ongoing efforts to enhance safety and stated that learning from such tragedies is essential to honoring Torres’s memory.