Brummer Medal

Lieutenant Matthew J. Komorowski Ladder Company 119

April 25, 2005, 0552 hours, Box 3969, 104 Ross Street, Brooklyn

Appointed to the FDNY on January 21, 1990. Previously assigned to Engine 9 and Ladder 6. Attended the New York Institute of Technology. Recipient of the Thomas R. Elsasser Medal, World Trade Center Survivor Medal, three unit citations and one Service Rating A. Additionally, he received the Bravest Award from Firefighters Quarterly Magazine. Resides in Massapequa Park, Long Island, with his wife, Jennifer, and their daughters, Hannah, 6, and Julia, 3.

On Monday, April 25, 2005, at 0552 hours, Ladder 119, under the command of Lieutenant Matthew J. Komorowski, and Engine 211 responded first-due to a phone alarm at 104 Ross Street in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn. As companies were leaving their Hooper Street quarters, they received a second source. Arriving at the building, Engine 211 gave the 10-75 for a fire in apartment 2N on the second floor of a six-story, class 1 building.

Arriving at the address, Ladder 119’s rig stopped when a chain attached to two poles prevented the rig from proceeding. Lieutenant Komorowski and his inside team of FFs Tomislav Dadic with the can and Darrell Dennison with the irons got off their rig and quickly made their way to the fire building. When the three members reached the second floor, they were met with a heavy smoke condition and zero visibility.

Lieutenant Komorowski ordered his inside team to mask up and proceed down the long hallway. The Lieutenant used the thermal imaging camera to help guide his men to the fire apartment.  They proceeded about 100 feet down the hall.

When Lieutenant Komorowski and the inside team reached the fire apartment, they opened the unlocked door and were met with fire to their right and fire rolling over their heads. The kitchen was fully involved and the fire was extending to a closet on the left, the hallway behind the kitchen and the living room/dining room, which was behind the kitchen to the left. Smoke also was pushing from all the windows in the rear of the apartment.

The three rescuers made an initial push into the fire apartment beneath and to the left of the fire area. Lieutenant Komorowski monitored the egress conditions and discovered that the fire had communicated behind the entrance to the apartment, thus potentially blocking the team’s exit. As a result, he immediately ordered FF Dadic to use the can on the fire to protect the apartment’s only means of egress so Lieutenant Komorowski and FF Dennison could continue a deeper search into the fire apartment.

With Engine 211 still in the process of stretching the initial 21/2-inch line off the standpipe, water was not yet being put on the fire. Lieutenant Komorowski ordered FF Dennison to search to the right, while he proceeded to the left. FF Dadic protected the exit with the can. While conducting his primary search, FF Dennison found a child 15 feet into the apartment in the bedroom hallway behind the kitchen. Lieutenant Komorowski immediately transmitted the 10-45 to Battalion 35 and let Battalion Chief John Molloy know it was for a child.

FF Dadic continued to hold back the fire so that FF Dennison could exit the apartment with the young victim. Lieutenant Komorowski continued his primary search while monitoring conditions with the thermal imaging camera. He then found a second victim in the living room/dining room, approximately 20 feet into the apartment. The Lieutenant immediately transmitted another 10-45 and alerted Chief Molloy that Ladder 119 had a total of two victims.

Lieutenant Komorowski ordered FF Dadic to assist him in carrying 13-year-old Yidel Matyas to an unexposed area outside the apartment. He then ordered FF Dadic and another member to take the victim outside so he could receive medical attention. After the two victims were removed from the fire apartment, Lieutenant Komorowski and FF Dennison returned to the fire apartment to continue their search.

At this time, Engine 211 had completed its stretch and was attacking the fire. As Ladder 119’s inside team was making two rescues inside the apartment, the outside team was effecting the rescue of three other victims. The two victims rescued by the inside team were transported to the hospital, but they did not survive.

For his actions in personally rescuing one child and supervising the rescue of another, Lieutenant Matthew J. Komorowski of Ladder 119 officially is recognized by the FDNY today with the Brummer Medal.—NG

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