Two Kansas City, Missouri, firefighters are dead and two are injured after a burning burning building collapsed on them Monday evening.
"They did not die in vain. They saved two civilians, carried them out of the second floor on ladders before the wall collapse," said Kansas City Fire Chief Paul Berardi.
When firefighters first arrived, Newsy's partners at KSHB report they saw the smoke and fire in the building and called for backup.
In just 20 minutes, the fire had gotten so bad the fire crews had to exit the building and were on "defensive mode." (Video via WDAF)
Authorities say crews evacuated two people from the partially collapsed roof of the apartment building before it gave in.
Kansas City Mayor Sly James said the loss was "a reminder" about how firefighters "put their lives on the line" every day. (Video via KCTV)
Officials have not released an official cause of the fire or the names of the crew members who lost their lives.