Fire tragedy hits home

The following is the story set to run in tomorrow's Journal-Scene, co-written by Julie Smith and Judy Watts. The fire at the Sofa Superstore has hit home with two Summerville ties:

"Two men with Summerville ties were among the nine City of Charleston firefighters who perished Monday night in one of the worst fires in Lowcountry history, The Journal Scene has learned.
Firefighters Louis Mulkey and Brandon Thompson, who started their careers at Summerville Fire & Rescue, were among the missing after the roof of the Sofa Super Store on Savannah Highway collapsed during an inferno that began at about 7 p.m.
Mulkey’s mother, Ann Mulkey, was surrounded by friends and family in her Rose Lane home in Summerville Tuesday morning as people learned of her son’ death.
Mrs. Mulkey said she and her husband Mike received a call from a chaplain about 12:30 a.m. to come down to Fire Station 11 on Savannah Highway.
Until then, she had thought their son was safe.
“I thought I saw him on camera. I even said to Mike, ‘That looks like Louis with his back to the camera.’ But it must not have been him,” she said as she slowly turned the pages of a family photo album. “It wasn’t him.”
Mrs. Mulkey said her son loved sports.
“He loved football and basketball and had coached both,” said Mrs. Mulkey.
Mulkey was the JV basketball coach for Summerville High School and also worked with the children’s burn unit.
“He always loved working with kids,” Mrs. Mulkey said.
Firefighters reportedly rescued at least two people from the blaze that engulfed the building in flames. The roof later collapsed, trapping firefighters inside.
The bodies of Mulkey, Thompson and seven other firefighters were brought out when the flames were extinguished.
Mulkey, described as “a heck of a nice guy,” was the former brother-in-law of Charleston Fire Chief Rusty Thomas.
In March 2006 Mulkey and two other Charleston firefighters were commended by Mayor Joe Riley and Fire Chief Rusty Thomas for saving a police officer who suffered a heart attack during a foot chase.
Using one of the automated external defibrillators kept at all Charleston fire stations, Mulkey re-started Officer Justin Sicheri’s heart.
Thompson was engaged to be married, according to a source who requested anonymity. He was the brother of Dorchester County sheriff’s deputy Frank Thompson."

Share your memories of these two firemen and any others lost in the blaze with us right here at The Spot.

Comments

[joe floyd]

My heart goes out to all the families. Louis was such a special friend, I cant explain the feelings in my heart. I grew up with Louis and his family and know they realize the people he touched during his lifetime and what a special person he was! I can truely say that I am a better person because of him, I love him like a brother and will miss him dearly.

lifelong friend
Joe floyd