TOTAL TOLL

Garrison said everyone else has since been accounted for. A cause of the blaze hasn’t yet been determined.

“Unfortunately, the building had much more fire in it than we originally thought,” he said. “We do know there was a collapse, and it caused our firefighters to get trapped.”

The victims were identified as:

» Capt. Matthew Renaud, a 35-year-old firefighter and paramedic who had been with the Houston Fire Department since October 2001.

» Engineer Operator Robert Bebee, a 41-year-old firefighter and paramedic who joined the Houston Fire Department in August 2001.

» Firefighter Robert Garner, a 29-year-old firefighter and paramedic who joined the Houston Fire Department in October 2010.

» Probationary Firefighter Anne Sullivan, a 24-year-old firefighter who graduated from the department’s training academy in April.

Officials said the five injured firefighters likely would remain hospitalized for at least the night.

The blaze broke out just after noon at a restaurant and bar at the motel, then quickly spread. Friday’s loss of life is the single worst in the history of the Houston Fire Department, which had counted 64 firefighters lost since the city began paying firefighters in 1895. Twice previously, two firefighters were killed in a single fire, in 1953 and in 2000. Three firefighters also died in 1929 when a train slammed broadside into their engine.

CODY DUTY/AP A firefighter is wheeled to an ambulance after fighting a fire Friday at a Houston motel. Four firefighters were killed in the blaze.