Submitted by Judith McDermott, Feb 8, 2008 13:08

I can't believe that a fire dept official has been quoted as saying that residents should have stayed in their apartments - and died of smoke inhalation? The Wellesley building may be considered fireproof, but that does not make it SMOKE PROOF. Doesn't this fire dept official know that most deaths in fires occur because of smoke inhalation, not injury due to the flames? Even his own firefighters have been hospitalized with smoke inhalation, along with residents of the building and one of the doormen, who thank God was smarter than the firefighters and acted quickly to save the life of a 91 year old resident by getting her out of the building. Evacuation is always the best option - in any fire. I can't believe this isn't the NYFD's protocol.

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