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Gallery: Remembering the Emmons Fire, Jan. 13, 2007

The Herald-Dispatch Flames from a nearby window force a firefighter to retreat Saturday, Jan. 13, 2007, during a fire at the Emmons Jr. apartments in downtown Huntington.

January 14, 2013 @ 12:46 PM

2011/The Herald-Dispatch

Herald-Dispatch.com

A fire at the Emmons Jr. apartment building started about 11 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 13, 2007, and killed nine people. Flames raced through the building, destroying it and the neighboring Emmons Sr. apartment building.

Federal, state and local authorities investigated the fire several days, but no cause was determined.

The emergency response featured firefighters making heroic efforts to save lives. Some people could be seen hanging out the windows calling for help.

The victims were Joseph Szilvasi; Briar Harmon, 40; Mary Biss, 69; Ann F. Saleh and her 7-year-old son, Seth Justus; Beatrice Devore Yancey, 45; and siblings Ben Lucas, 19, Angel Lucas, 17, and Quentin Lucas, 14.

More Images

The Herald-Dispatch Flames from a nearby window force a firefighter to retreat Saturday, Jan. 13, 2007, during a fire at the Emmons Jr. apartments in downtown Huntington.

The Herald-Dispatch Firefighters attack a structure fire late Saturday, Jan. 13, 2007, at the Emmons Jr. apartment building in downtown Huntington.

The Herald-Dispatch Smoke and steam escape from the fifth floor of the Emmons Jr. Apartment Building early Sunday, Jan. 14, 2007, after an overnight fire ripped through the building.

The Herald-Dispatch A woman drops to her knees and begins to cry after seeing the Emmons Jr. apartments in downtown Huntington on fire Jan. 13, 2007.

The Herald-Dispatch Firefighters rescue a woman trapped inside an apartment at the Emmons Jr. building after a fire broke out around 11 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 13, 2007.

The Herald-Dispatch Departments from throughout the area were called in to help the Huntington Fire Department fight a fire at the Emmons Jr. apartments Saturday, Jan. 13, 2007.

The Herald-Dispatch Fire crews shoot up to five streams of water on the Emmons Jr. apartments in downtown Huntington, Sunday, Jan. 14, 2007.

The Herald-Dispatch Huntington Mayor David Felinton along with Red Cross workers help out at the emergency shelter setup for victims of the Emmons Jr. apartment building fire Sunday, Jan. 14, 2007, at the Big Sandy Superstore Arena in Huntington.

The Herald-Dispatch A firefighter makes his way back down a ladder after attempting to break through a window and battle a blaze on the fourth floor of the Emmons Jr. apartments building Sunday, Jan. 14, 2007.

The Herald-Dispatch Firefighters rescue a man trapped inside an apartment at the Emmons Jr. building after a fire broke out around 11 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 13, 2007.

The Herald-Dispatch Huntington firefighters maneuver a ladder into position while fighting a fire at the Emmons Jr. apartment building Saturday, Jan. 13, 2007.

The Herald-Dispatch Smoke pours out of the Emmons Jr. building after a fire broke out inside around 11 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 13, 2007.

The Herald-Dispatch Firefighters reach people stranded inside of the burning Emmons Jr. apartment building late Saturday, Jan. 13, 2007.

The Herald-Dispatch Smoke and steam escape from the fifth floor of the Emmons Jr. Apartment Building early Sunday, Jan. 14, 2007, after an overnight fire ripped through the building.

The Herald-Dispatch Firefighters take a break before entering the Emmons Jr. Apartment Building early Sunday, Jan. 14, 2007, to search for victims and for any small pockets of fire still burning inside the structure.

Mark Webb/The Herald-Dispatch Firefighters search the top floor of the Emmons Jr. apartment building Monday, Jan. 15, 2007, in Huntington.

The Herald-Dispatch Huntington Fire Chief Greg Fuller addresses the media Sunday, Jan. 14, 2007, outside of the Emmons Jr. apartment building.

The Herald-Dispatch Smoke and steam escape from the fifth floor of the Emmons Jr. Apartment Building early Sunday, Jan. 14, 2007, after an overnight fire ripped through the building.

The Herald-Dispatch Heath Hazlett 15, Terri Gaeger and Cori Gaeger, 14, all of Chesapeake, Ohio, stand watch as fire crews continue their search Sunday, Jan. 14, 2007, for victims of the Emmons Jr. apartment fire in downtown Huntington.

The Herald-Dispatch Firefighters enter the Emmons Jr. Apartment Building early Sunday, Jan. 14, 2007, to search the building for victims and for any small pockets of fire still burning inside of the structure.