Charleston Honors Fallen Firefighters

Charleston, South Carolina, is in mourning today. Flags are flying at half staff in memory of nine firefighters who died battling a blaze at a furniture warehouse Monday night. It's the nation's worst loss of firefighters since 9/11. "I think I really didn't grasp it till they put crosses down, then I thought. this is for real," Spally Taylor said. The Charleston community is pulling together to honor the lives of the firefighters who died battling this blaze. Area residents placed makeshift memorials in front of the store. "We brought these flags for the people who risk their lives to save us," a young West Ashley resident said. It is a small token of encouragement for the firefighters who stood shoulder to shoulder with the men who died. They say they lost their "brothers" and their lives will never be the same. "Bringing out my brothers. It was hard," Capt. Ray Gorham said. Sr. Fireman Allen Kincheloe, St. Andrews Public Service Dept. described the loss as "the worst day of his life." "We were all lying on each other, crying. That was my worst nightmare and the worst day of my life." From Chicago to Georgia, fire stations around the country shared a moment of silence to remember the fallen. Investigators are still trying to figure out what caused the deadly blaze. The building was not required to have sprinklers, but the fire chief says if it did have them, it would have slowed the flames.