A vigil for the 19 firefighters that were killed in the horrific Arizona wildfire was held where the lone survivor of the blaze made his first public appearance. INSIDE EDITION reports.
The lone survivor of that monster blaze in Arizona that killed 19 hero firefighters has emerged.
Twenty one-year-old Brendan McDonough was seen at a moving candlelight vigil attended by the devastated families of his fallen comrades. His face was a mask of grief as he was warmly embraced and told "It's not your fault."
McDonough, a three-year veteran of the Granite Mountain Hotshots was serving as lookout on a nearby hill when the strong wind changed direction in seconds.
The fire chief said at a press conference, "He left his post based on protocol and he was moving to a new position."
He warned his comrades by radio and barely escaped with his own life.
The chief said, "He did exactly what he was supposed to do."
The first images of the charred location where the 19 fire fighters died have been released. The firefighters managed to deploy emergency fire shelters but the inferno was too intense.
The haunting last photo firefighter Andrew Ashcraft texted his wife as the hotshots moved into harms way has been released. They're covered in soot and the wildfire is on the horizon.
Now, the lone survivor is asking for privacy as he tries to deal with the tragedy that claimed his band of brothers.
The chief told the press, "He is trying to deal with the same thing we are all trying to deal with, but you can understand how that is compounded there being on the scene."
