Today in Fire History 3/22

On 3/22/1890 an Indianapolis, Indiana firefighter “died as a result of injuries he sustained in the building collapse at the bookstore on March 17th.”

On 3/22/1902 a Detroit, Michigan firefighter “died from injuries he sustained after having fallen through a roof and into the fire.”

On 3/22/1926 a Hartford, Connecticut firefighter “died as a result of exposure suffered at an orphanage fire.”

On 3/22/1929 two Peoria, Illinois firefighters “died while battling a fire at the Peoria Market House on 123-127 South Washington Street at the corner of Washington and Fulton Streets. At 5:48 a.m., an alarm signaled the fire; on arrival, the fire department immediately called for a “33 All Hands” general alarm. It is believed that the fire started on the third floor of the three-story brick and masonry building. The intense heat activated the sprinkler systems in the building, which prevented the flames from extending to surrounding exposures. In record time, the fire crews had hose lines snaking from every hydrant within a few hundred feet and as many as 15 streams of water were sent into the flames from every exterior vantage point. Three firefighters entered the structure, fighting their way through the dense smoke and intense heat, and began to direct a stream of water onto the seat of the fire on the level above them. They made their way up the stairs to the second floor to inspect the structure. After the evaluation, they reported that the building had suffered quite a bit of damage and could collapse at any moment. Three firefighters remained inside the structure but moved back to a presumably safer position. Approximately five minutes later, they conduct a second evaluation of the second floor. One firefighter had just moved a few steps away from the other two when a loud, ominous crack was heard, and the floor began to fall upon his comrades. The valiant firefighters had no chance to escape and both men were buried in a tangled mess of broken timbers and falling bricks. Six other firefighters were slightly injured in the collapse. With increased intensity, the flames swept through the building, and the heat and smoke forced them to retreat from possible rescue efforts. At 4:00 p.m., almost eight hours after the collapse, the lifeless bodies of the two firefighters were excavated. They were still grasping the nozzle of the hose in the direction of the fire.”

On 3/22/1932 a Manhattan, New York (FDNY) firefighter died in “a violent boiler explosion in the sub-cellar that caught the members of Engine 26, Ladder 21, and the 3rd Division Chief. The firefighter died of smoke inhalation and all the other firefighters were injured in the blast. It was believed that waste benzine had come in contact with the feed line at the boiler and caused the blast and resulting two-alarm fire.”

On 3/22/1954 a North Lincoln, Oregon firefighter died while fighting “a structure fire at the Nelscott Sea Food Market. He collapsed on the scene while fighting a commercial kitchen fire. Firefighters on the scene immediately began resuscitation efforts. He was transported to North Lincoln Hospital in Wecoma but efforts at revival were unsuccessful.”

On 3/22/1970 a Buffalo, New York firefighter “died after suffering from respiratory distress. He and members of Engine 15 were battling a four-alarm fire at Brocks Super Duper at 286 Ontario Street, on March 16th. He was overcome and collapsed at the scene. Companies were doing overhaul when he was discovered. He was transported to Kenmore Mercy Hospital where he later died.”

On 3/22/1973 a Los Angeles, California firefighter “was killed instantly when the 40-foot crane struck him across the back and knocked him face-down in the mud during a 7:54 a.m. fire at the H and S salvage yard, 1261 N. Alameda Street.”

On 3/22/2018 two York, Pennsylvania firefighters “were killed from a collapse at the scene of a multi-alarm fire that began on March 21st. Fire crews were still on-scene putting out hot spots that were flaring up nearly twenty-four hours later. The two firefighters were transported to the hospital where they succumbed to their injuries. Two other firefighters injured in the collapse were reported to be in stable condition with non-life-threatening injuries. Prior to the fire breaking out, the 150-year-old multi-story structure, known as the Weaver Organ and Piano building, was being renovated into apartments.”

On 3/23/2018 a Manhattan, New York (FDNY) firefighter was killed, and two other firefighters were seriously injured in a Harlem five-alarm fire that broke out in a former jazz club that was being used as a film set. “The firefighter was operating the fire hose nozzle in the basement of the building when fire conditions intensified, and he became separated from the other firefighters. The firefighter was removed from the structure and taken to Harlem Hospital where he was declared deceased.” The five-alarm fire that broke out in Saint Nicks Jazz Pub that was being used as a film set, on Nicholas Ave near 148th Street around 11:00 p.m.”

On 3/22/1975 a fire at the Brown’s Ferry-1 reactor fire in Decatur, Alabama, started while workers were checking for an air leak with a lit candle and quickly spread to the electrical cable seal and extended into the reactor building. “Foamed plastic covered on both sides with two coats of a flame-retardant paint used as a firestop.” Built-in 1966 on the Tennessee River it was the first nuclear plant to generate more than 1 gigaWatt of power.

On 3/22/2012 a 31-year-old woman, 11-year-old boy, and 9, 7, and 4-year-old girls died from carbon monoxide poisoning as a result of a small kitchen fire in their Jacksonville, Arkansas house.

On 3/22/1972 a fire on the seventh floor of the William Sloane House, a YMCA residence, on Thirty-fourth Street between Eighth and Ninth Avenues in Manhattan's (New York) west side left four elderly men dead from smoke inhalation.

On 3/22/1932 the Hotel Elm in Dallas, Texas, “a small second-story establishment in the downtown district” fire killed four.

On 3/22/1916 prairie fires burn hundreds of miles of grass in western counties in the Dodge City, Kansas area; “many houses have been caught in the fast-moving flames and pasture lands.”

On 3/22/1916 in East Nashville, Tennessee 35 residential blocks were destroyed by a fire that started after “a ball of yarn, lighted and thrown by a boy into dry grass in a vacant lot.”

On 3/22/1916 in Fairplay, Polk County, Missouri a forest fire driven by the high winds “resulted in much damage to property.”

On 3/22/1916 three buildings were destroyed by fire in Kansas City, Kansas that started about 3:00 a.m. in the rear of a grocery store at 1258 Kansas Avenue; high winds fanned the flames.

?

On 3/22/1916 the central portion of the three-wing Normal School was destroyed by a fire in Oshkosh, Wisconsin

On 3/22/1899 West Point Boiler Works explosion in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania killed five around noon. “The boilers were inspected six months ago, and were thought to be in first-class condition.”

?

On 3/22/1945 representatives of Egypt, Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Transjordan, and Yemen met in Cairo to establish the Arab League.

On 3/22/1765 the British government passes the Stamp Act to raise funds to pay off debts from the Seven Years' War (1756-1763) and defend the vast new American territories from the French.

On 3/22/1622 the first Indian (Powhattan) massacre of European settlers occurred in Jamestown, Virginia.