Today in Fire History 9/5

On 9/5/1881 the "Great Thumb Fire" of Michigan, a forest fire killed over 282 people, burned over a million acres, and damaged over 20 townships in less than a day. The fire is known as the Great Thumb Fire, the Great Forest Fire of 1881, or the Huron Fire, burned in Sanilac, Lapeer, Tuscola, and Huron counties. “The damage estimate was $2,347,000 in 1881, equivalent to $62,940,066 when adjusted for inflation. The fire sent enough soot and ash up into the atmosphere that sunlight was partially obscured at many locations on the East Coast of the United States. In New England cities, the sky appeared yellow and projected a strange luminosity onto buildings and vegetation. Twilight appeared at noon. September 6, 1881, became known as Yellow Tuesday or Yellow Day because of the ominous nature of this atmospheric event.”

?

On 9/5/1926 a movie theater fire killed fifty in the rural village of Dromcollogher, Ireland. The only exit to the temporary cinema in the upstairs loft of the hardware store was blocked by the projector set up on a table and the reels were placed beside it. Candles used as lighting, were not in holders, only held in place by hardened candle wax. About two hundred people packed into the tiny room. Things turned bad after the second film "The False Alarm" began. The fire completely engulfed the building. The nearest fire brigade was in Limerick.

?

On 9/5/1935 a Brooklyn, New York (FDNY) firefighter “died as a result of exhaustion while operating at an alarm.”

?

On 9/5/1953 a Baltimore, Maryland firefighter died while fighting a fire at a lumberyard. “A severe thunderstorm was in progress, lightning struck an electric transformer and then a storage shed in the lumber yard. The two-block-long complex made up of frame and tin sheds, a planing mill, and lumber piles was heavily involved in fire on the arrival of firefighters. The lumberyard was completely destroyed in the six-alarm blaze. As Engine 22 was working at a hydrant, the firefighter suddenly collapsed at the pumps after suffering an apparent heart attack. He was rushed to the hospital, where he died a short time later.”

?

On 9/5/1994 a Louisville, Kentucky firefighter died after he “was caught in a flashover while making entry into a single-story house on August 24th. He suffered severe burns to his lungs that would cause his death. The fire was set by an arsonist who was upset over an interracial adoption.”

?

On 9/5/1998 a Saint Johnsbury, Vermont firefighter died “while operating at a mutual aid fire involving a large one-story brick, paper products warehouse. He was killed when he was caught under a collapsing parapet wall. Another firefighter suffered minor injuries in the collapse. The cause of the fire was arson.”

?

On 9/5/2018 three City of Johannesburg, South Africa firefighters “were killed while trying to put out a fire on the 23rd floor of the Bank of Lisbon Building, in Gauteng Health Departments' offices. One firefighter lost his footing on the ledge on the 23rd floor and fell to the street below. Two firefighters died while being trapped inside the building.”

?

On 9/5/2013 in Portland, Oregon a school bus carrying a Central Catholic football team caught fire; on a bus recalled for a battery problem. These transit buses were equipped with battery equalizers that could fail and cause a malfunction of the battery charging system. The recall reads in part: “Without fusing, the equalizer may melt, burn, or smoke, possibly resulting in a fire or a smoke-filled bus.” Oregon Department of Transportation inspected the bus on 8/29/13 and discovered no violations; vehicle examinations do not include checking for recalls.

?

On 9/5/1996?a cargo plane in-flight fire diverted to Newburgh, New York. A Federal Express DC-10 from Memphis, TN to Boston, MA was destroyed by a fire of undetermined origin. The crew received a smoke alarm from the cargo area; all five on board were able to escape the aircraft landing before it was destroyed.

?

On 9/5/1986 the 11-story Hotel Caledonian fire killed fourteen and injured at least fifty of the one hundred forty occupants in Kristiansand, Norway; 121 people were evacuated down ladders and by helicopter.

?

On 9/5/1913 a fire rapidly spread through Hot Springs, Arkansas, and left 55 city blocks in ruins within a few hours. The loss was estimated at 6,000,000.00, and 2500 were left homeless.

?

On 9/5/1908 a forest fire destroyed the town of Chisholm, Minnesota.

?

On 9/5/1894 the town of Barnum, Minnesota was destroyed by fire.

?

On 9/5/1904 a nitroglycerine explosion killed five oil-well workers in Upper Sandusky, Ohio.

?

On 9/5/1897 near Nanticoke, Pennsylvania four died when a coal mine elevator accident dropped ten men 580 feet.

?

On 9/5/1972 six Arab terrorists known as Black September took twenty-one, Israelis hostage at the Olympic Village in Munich, Germany.

?

On 9/5/1942 near Fort Myers, Florida a bomber crash killed six a 2nd bomber crashed in Tampa killing five.

?

On 9/5/1847 Jesse James was born in Missouri.

?

On 9/5/1836 Sam Houston was elected as president of Texas.

?

On 9/5/1774 the 1st session of the Continental Congress convened.