York fire, fatal building collapse: Here's what we know now

Two firefighters are dead and two are being treated at York Hospital after a collapse at the scene of Wednesday's devastating fire at the Weaver Organ and Piano building in York.

What happened?

Calls of "mass casualty" and "mayday" came over the 911 system at about 3:15 p.m. on Thursday. Reports were of several individuals trapped inside the rubble, according to York County 911.

Four firefighters were transported to the hospital. Two have died. They are Ivan Flanscha, 50, of Red Lion, and Zachary Anthony, 29, of York. They are the 12th and 13th city firefighters killed in the line of duty.

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The two survivors are recovering at York Hospital. They are Assistant Chief Greg Altland and firefighter Erik Swanson

All four are from the York City fire department and were trapped when the building collapsed while investigating the fire.

While part of the building collapsed Wednesday, much more of the building came down Thursday afternoon.

Earlier in the day, firefighters had been extinguishing hot spots. "We still have fire within the building itself," York City Deputy Fire Chief Chad Deardorff said at the time.

"We're ultimately going to have to get heavy equipment in to start knocking some of this down, pulling pieces apart to get to the deep-seeded fires and the pockets of fire underneath the collapse zone," he said.

What occurred Wednesday at the site?

Firefighters were called to the building at Broad and Walnut streets at about 4:15 p.m. on Wednesday. 

Flames poured from the building, and thick gray smoke spread through the neighborhood. Nearly two hours later, part of the building collapsed. No firefighters were inside at the time.

More than 100 firefighters responded, and streets in the area were shut down. 

One York City firefighter was taken to a local hospital with an ankle injury. No other injuries were reported.

What caused the fire?

The cause is not yet known.

Police Chief Troy Bankert said it is not known if arson was involved. There is an investigation.

Chief Michaels said earlier Thursday, before the collapse, that he, York City Police Detective Andy Baez, who is an arson investigator, and possibly a state police fire marshal would be investigating the fire's cause later that day.

Michaels said he had no dollar amount on the damage the fire caused. "It's going to be high."

What is known about the building?

The piano and organ factory had closed in 1959 and later was used as an auto parts store and a warehouse for Mailman's Department Store.

Workers were in the process of renovating the nearly 150-year-old brick building.

Last year, Matt Steinkamp and his wife and business partner, Lara Bushey, had said they were converting the 53,000-square-foot building near Alexander D. Goode Elementary School into 42 modern apartments.

The apartments, due to be finished this year, were being designed with hardwood floors, exposed brick and in-unit washers and dryers. Weaver Point Lofts were to include indoor parking, an on-site gym for residents and a rooftop deck.

Silas Chamberlin, CEO of Downtown Inc., said the new apartments were important to York for several reasons, one being that the development would serve as a litmus test for whether residential projects outside the central downtown business district could succeed.

See what the plans had been for the former Weaver factory building: