On the way they encountered several elderly requiring assistance, and a couple of physically handicapped. The firefighters began dropping their equipment, picking up the handicapped, and carrying them down. David was doing everything possible to calm the elderly and to assist in the orderly evacuation. The deteriorating conditions in the stairwell didn’t contribute to David’s calming efforts. There was some smoke, and dark, muddy water began cascading down the steps, making for slippery going.
