My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic
Ladder Company 6 (Engine Company 22)
Chapter 6: Tragedy (The Princess Royale Hotel Fire)
Captain Gordon once told me 'when you've worked in the fire service for as long as I have, you will learn the hard way that you have to do what you can'. His words seemed to be true one Hearths Warming Eve night. The Princess Royale Hotel just opened. The ten-story hotel was the symbol of elegance and opulence in downtown Fillydelphia.
Building inspectors came in before the building was opened, and deemed it 'absolutely fireproof'. I was at the meeting with Captain Gordon and the inspectors, and told them that they should install sprinklers in case of an emergency, but our words went largely ignored as, according to the building inspectors, sprinklers were not required.
I had a gut feeling, a fear that something was going to happen. My fears were realized when the alarm went off at 11:30. We got in our gear, and rushed out of the station. All the floors leading up the sixth at the Princess Royale were on fire. There were 200 guests staying at the hotel on that cold night. Amid the flames, I heard screams.
Guests were yelling that there were ponies trapped on the sixth floor. Gretchen was up in the basket, and Greta and Giselle were connecting the hose to hydrant. I could hear breaking glass from the heat as Gilda and I went into rescue those trapped in the flames. As Gilda and I were going up the stairs to the sixth floor, I came across a body.
It was a mare, brown mane and beautiful eyes, stunning. As I picked her up over my shoulder, I noticed that there were three others in the hall. Gilda and I got them out of the building and down the fire escape. The medics on site starting giving CPR to the three mares we pulled out of the hallway. My heart sank when they covered the bodies.
I thought Gilda and I had saved them. As we battled the blaze with the other fire companies, the guests that got out were transported into buses to another hotel not far from the Princess Royale to await the news. Meanwhile, parking lot outside was turned into a makeshift morgue. A gas main on the third floor exploded in the intense heat.
"Watch out!" called out Gilda as flames and glass burst out of the window from the explosion. Gilda and I immediately got the hose to battle back the flames.
Later testimonies from the guests told that somepony had pulled the fire alarm, but not everypony heard it. We fought the fire for hours until we got the blaze under control. In all ten ponies died in the fire mostly from smoke inhalation, and some fifty were injured. Among the dead was a mother and her daughter. I had never seen such a sight.
The next day, we were working with police to find out what caused the fire, and look for bodies. It seemed one of the testimonies was true. One of the victims that was placed in a body bag was a stallion that was so badly burned that he had to be identified by dental records. It was found by the police that the fire started in the basement.
It was concluded that the fire was an accident, and that it was caused by a spark from a furnace that caught on some leftover towels and bedding. Families mourned those that they lost in the fire. Gretchen cried into my shoulder seeing the filly and her mother put in body bags to be taken to the coroners office. I will never forget that night.
Our flag outside the station was at half-mast for the victims. It was quiet at the station. Captain Gordon came to see us in the aftermath, "I know...I know this is a hard time for you ladies, but things like this happen and you learn from them, that's why we put on the gear and that is why we get on that truck when we are called!" he said to us.
"Yes sir," I said quietly, followed by a few more from Gretchen and Greta. Captain Gordon looked at all of us. I was sad, but also angry that the inspectors didn't listen.
"Take as much time off as you need," He said with a sigh, and went to his office. He was talking on the phone with his wife, and I was going to go to Cantorlot. I flew down to the scene of the fire last night, and was surprised to see Princess Luna walking up to me, "You did all that you could, that is all anypony can ask of you," said Princess Luna.
"But...I thought...I thought I saved them," I muttered as my eyes welled with tears, "I failed them," I felt a surprise as Princess Luna held me close. She was so soft and so warm, and welcoming. I looked into her eyes, and she stroked my feathers gently as I cried into her shoulder. I had never cried like this ever in my life since my mother died.
I looked at the burnt windows, and I could hear those screams of the victims even tough the fire is gone, "Look at me, listen to me," said Princess Luna turning me to face her sapphire eyes, "you are strong, you are brave just like the companies you are the second-in-command of, those that were lost want to see your strength, not your tears,"
"You fought the flames and you went with Gilda to save those ponies, that is the embodiment of what you represent, that is courage, now stand up Wilhelmina, stand up and comfort those that need comforting," said Princess Luna, and by her wisdom I knew she was right, "and in your times of trouble, I will be there to comfort you," she vowed.
"Thank you...Luna," I said with a light smile and wiped my tears. I flew off to see the firefighters and the families of the victims to help them get through this dark times. In the wake of tragedy, you find strength, and dedication to make sure that such an event like this never happens again. I will not give up, I will not give in, and I will not quit.