New York Police Officer Dies From Fire Injuries

At NYT, "Police Policy on Fires Is Questioned Amid Grief at Death of a New York Officer":

From the outside, there were few signs of a serious high-rise fire. No smoke pouring from windows, no commotion outside the Brooklyn apartment building on Sunday as two New York City police officers rushed inside, grabbing an elevator for the 13th floor.

But as the officers rode up, flames were already churning in the narrow, confined hallway. And when the elevator doors slid open, smoke fell upon them like an avalanche.

The officers radioed for help. Then they collapsed in the choking blackness.

On Wednesday, one of the officers, Dennis Guerra, died of severe smoke inhalation. His partner that day, Officer Rosa Rodriguez, was in critical condition, clinging to life.

For the Police Department, it was a sudden and stunning blow: the first death of an officer from fire in the line of duty in nearly three decades, and the first time one had been killed on the job in more than two years.

A 16-year-old charged with starting the blaze told detectives that he lit a mattress in the hallway because he was “bored,” the police said. He now faces charges that could include murder as the police force presses for the stiffest possible punishment.

I'm sure some great philosopher somewhere said "boredom kills."

It sure did in New York.

Oh, the suspect, Marcell Dockery, 16 years-old, is black. Folks at the NYPD want that f-cker to do some hard time in prison on a murder conviction. But hey, best not mention the racial dimension of the killing or anything. Might rile some tender leftist politically-correct sensitivities.

More at that top link.