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Nine firefighters lost their lives in Charleston, South Carolina, battling a blaze at the Sofa Super Store on June 18, 2007. There were a large range of ages and experience among the men lost and those who survived, but they all had bravery and a commitment to service and each other in common. Following the tragedy, several organizations studied the fire to determine what happened, why it happened, and what could be learned to help prevent such a tragedy from occurring again. Politics and personal pride sometimes got in the way of the investigations, but ultimately, the loss of these courageous men helped advance fire safety in the city of Charleston and in countless fire departments around the nation.
Woodley displays the exhaustive research he has done on the subject as well as insights learned while working as a litigator in federal and state courts concerning firefighter rights and safety. As a result, he presents a thoroughly engaging read about the fire and its aftermath. The writing and discussion are remarkably respectful and moving, and the information is presented with as little bias as can be possibly expected in a case like this. There are a few occurrences of what seems to be unnecessary repetition and a bit of slightly off-topic information overload near the end, but the overall presentation about this confusing, rapidly changing, and tragic event is exacting and journalistic. Readers will be impacted by the acts of these men and their survivors and will have gained insight into the backdrop of how an occurrence like this could take place. This title will appeal to a large swath of readers, particularly those interested in non-fiction, firefighters, and/or disasters.
RECOMMENDED by the US Review