© Cody Duty, Houston Chronicle / © 2013 Houston ChronicleSmoke from a 4-alarm blaze at the Southwest Inn on Hornwood drifts over motorists traveling the inbound lane of 59, Friday, May 31, 2013, in Houston. Four firefighters were transported in critical condition, and one was with a knee injury.
Four firefighters died in a five-alarm blaze that broke out at a restaurant Friday afternoon along U.S. 59 in southwest Houston, according to the mayor's office.
The Fire Department released a statement on Friday evening identifying the fallen firefighters:
Capt. EMT Matthew Renaud, 35, of Station 51; EMT Robert Bebee, 41, of Station 51; EMT Robert Garner, 29, of Station 68; and Fire Station 68's Anne Sullivan, 24, a recent graduate of the Houston Fire Department Academy.
"The Houston Fire Department has never seen four firefighters pass away from the same incident in the history of the department," the statement says. "Our deepest thoughts and prayers are with not only those friends and family of those who gave the ultimate sacrifice today but also those who were injured and all members of our department."
Five firefighters were also reported injured, two critically, while fighting the blaze that broke out about 12:09 p.m. at Bhojan Restaurant at 6855 Southwest Freeway.
It engulfed the neighboring Southwest Inn along the Southwest Freeway near Hornwood, according to the Houston Fire Department. The flames also burned a sports bar and disco.