As feds investigate fatal York fire, community and firefighters rally support for fallen

(York) — As a team of federal investigators arrived in York Friday and Saturday intent on finding the cause and origin of a blaze that claimed the lives of two York City firefighters, the community rallied behind the fallen and final arrangements were scheduled.

“We’re going to do everything we can to get some answers on the origin and cause for the families” of the firefighters who died, said Donald Robinson, special agent in charge of the Philadelphia Field Division of the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. The federal agency was called in to help investigate the fire at 127 N. Broad St., at the site of the old Weaver Organ and Piano building.

“We offer our assistance and expertise in any case where there’s a large fire, something beyond the scope of what the local agency can handle … or when there’s a death of personnel,” Robinson said. 

York City firefighters Zachary Anthony, 29, of York, and Ivan Flanscha, 50, of Red Lion, died Thursday when part of the burned-out building, where a fire broke out during a snowstorm Wednesday, collapsed.

Anthony and Flanscha, who were the first York firefighters to die in the line of duty since 1971, were among teams of firefighters on the scene Thursday afternoon dealing with hot spots “that had the potential to engulf the building, putting neighboring homes and structures at risk,” Mayor Michael Helfrich said.

Robinson said the York firefighters’ deaths are “more incentive for us to” determine the cause and origin of the fire.

“But you can’t put a number on what are the chances (of determining the cause and origin),” Robinson added. “You just have to get in there and find out … what the scene’s going to tell us.”

On Friday and Saturday, agents were “doing neighborhood canvas interviews,” trying to find any witnesses who might have information that could help in the investigation, Robinson said. “The whole thing on the fire is to determine the cause of the fire, to determine how it started and where.”

The City of York announced a public memorial service for Flanscha and Anthony from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday at the York Expo Center while firefighters from York Township Fire Department were out collecting donations from the public.

Firefighters gathered at the intersection of Queen Street and Pauline Drive, close to the York County School of Technology, and collected donations in boots from people as they drove by or stopped at the traffic light.

Eric Mattas, a firefighter and EMT with the department for about six years, said the department organized the collection “on a whim.”

“That’s the code of the brotherhood, really, you always cover each others’ backs and then you always have everybody,” Mattas said.

Many people who stopped to drop some cash into the boot offered their thanks and condolences. But, Mattas said, the deaths of Flancha and Anthony don’t affect just the firefighters.

“It’s not just our loss, it’s the whole county’s, the families, pretty much everybody in the York area,” he said. “These firemen; they gave their life for every person that was walking on the streets that day, and every day before and after that.”

Robinson hopes agents will be able to start looking into the cause and origin by Monday. That could include chemists taking samples and intelligence support to manage any leads.

The AFT’s National Response Team is comprised of the same agents who were on the ground in Austin, Texas, for the recent bombs that exploded there.The team of 25 agents includes special agents, chemists, electrical engineers and others.

Charlene Hennessy, public information officer for the ATF Philadelphia Field Division, said there were no new developments Saturday afternoon because the scene must be secured before agents can get to work looking into the cause and origin.

Robinson said once work begins, the site will “look like a scene that police are working” to onlookers, Robinson said. “They’ll see heavy equipment. All we do ask is that they respect the integrity of the scene” and stay clear of the fenced-off areas.

Even if the fire is determined to be accidental, Robinson wants to be able to give the families of the fallen some answers.

In the meantime, anyone who wants to support the families of the injured and fallen firefighters may do so with a donation. A GoFundMe account set up by the York Professional Fire Fighters and IAFF Local 627 had raised more than $40,000 by 6 p.m. Saturday.

To donate, visit www.gofundme.com/york-fire-fighters-support-fund.

This story is the result of a partnership between WITF and the York Daily Record.