Firefighter Close Calls

On 3/29/1953 the Littlefield Nursing Home predawn fire killed thirty-four patients and a nurse in Largo, Florida. The fire spread rapidly through the 185’ one-story wood-frame structure. Twenty-five residents were able to escape. “The fire started in an area of the kitchen and supply room.” “Littlefield’s Nursing Home was located in Pinellas County, Florida, approximately […]

A massive house fire in Fairland displaced a family and injured two firefighters, authorities announced. Emergency crews were first called to the scene around 9 p.m., Monday, March 27 after a two-story home went up in flames in the 1900 block of Aventurine Way, according to a Montgomery County Fire and Rescue spokesperson. The fire […]

A firefighter was transported to the hospital after being injured while battling a fire that damaged a house under construction in Algonquin Tuesday morning. The Algonquin-Lake in the Hills Fire Protection District responded around 10:08 a.m. Tuesday to the 500 block of North Harrison Street in Algonquin for a report of a structure fire. Fire […]

A resident was hospitalized and a firefighter was also injured after a fire engulfed a house in Ingleside. Firefighters rescued a cat from the home. The Fox Lake Fire Protection District responded around 10:06 p.m. to the 36400 block of North Maple Avenue in Ingleside for a report of a structure fire. Firefighters arrived to […]

On 3/28/1960 the Cheapside Street whisky bond fire in Glasgow, Scotland killed nineteen firefighters. “The fire broke out in a bonded warehouse owned by Arbuckle, Smith, and Company on Cheapside Street, Anderston, Glasgow around 7:15 p.m. Fire was reported as smoke coming from a second-floor window of the warehouse. At 7:49 p.m. a major explosion […]

WEST NEW YORK, New Jersey (WABC) — A 4-alarm fire burned through a home in West New York, New Jersey on Monday. The fire broke out around 4 a.m. on 58th Street between Broadway and Park Avenue. Newscopter 7 was over the scene and noted that it appeared the fire either started in the garage or […]

On 3/27/1841 the first steam fire engine was tested by designer P. Hodge at City Hall in New York; the 14-foot long 7-ton contraption threw a 1-½ inch stream of water over the flagpole. City firefighters hated the engine, they believed it would replace the hand pump and put them all out of work. Firefighters, […]

On 3/26/1873 a Philadelphia, Pennsylvania firefighter died of head injuries while operating at a fire at 16th and Spruce. On 3/26/1892 a Chicago, Illinois firefighter died after he was injured while fighting a fire at the Cribben and Sexton Stove Foundry at 84th E. Erie Street. “Firefighters responded to the fire alarm at the foundry […]

On 3/25/1911 the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire left 146 dead in New York City. The company employed approximately 500 workers, mostly young immigrant women, some as young as twelve working 60 to 72 hours per week sewing clothes. “The company occupied the top three floors of the iron and steel loft ten-story Asch Building on […]

On 3/24/1999 the Mont Blanc Tunnel fire occurred when a truck carrying 12 tons of flour and 9 tons of margarine entered the French side of the 7.2-mile tunnel connecting France and Italy in the Alps. Smoke from the area around the truck’s cab was detected by a tunnel smoke sensor at 10:52 a.m. the […]

UPDATE: Officials say the injured firefighter’s condition is improving and is responding well to medical treatment. RANSOM TOWNSHIP, LACKAWANNA COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU)— A firefighter was transported to the hospital while responding to a fire in Lackawanna County. At 5:20 p.m. Thursday afternoon, crews were dispatched to the 1100 block of Community Drive for a working house fire. Officials […]

DRACUT, Mass. — A firefighter was injured while battling a three-alarm fire at an apartment building in Dracut, Massachusetts. The fire started in a kitchen shortly after 9 p.m. Tuesday on the second floor of a building at 200 Merrill Lane and spread up the wall to the attic. Mutual aid from six cities and […]

On 3/23/1974 the Caboose Bar at 128 N. 6th Street fire killed nine and injured a dozen more in Allentown, Pennsylvania when a gasoline can was ignited and tossed into a crowded bar. The occupants “were trapped by a boarded back door that should have been their escape route…” “Rage and alcohol fueled the arson […]

On 3/23/1974 the Caboose Bar at 128 N. 6th Street fire killed nine and injured a dozen more in Allentown, Pennsylvania when a gasoline can was ignited and tossed into a crowded bar. The occupants “were trapped by a boarded back door that should have been their escape route…” “Rage and alcohol fueled the arson […]

BARTOW COUNTY, Ga. — A 41-year-old firefighter in Bartow County died following “complications” during a training exercise, according to the Bartow County Fire and Emergency Services Facebook page. The agency said Matthew Smith died around 5 p.m. on March 16 from “complications of an apparent medical incident” during training. According to Smith’s sister, he went down […]

On 3/22/2002 around 11:54 a.m., “the Jersey City (New Jersey) Fire Department was dispatched for a fire reported at 580 Henderson Street a cold storage warehouse. The building was part of an industrial complex that had stood vacant for many years. The building was well known to the Jersey City Fire Department, as it was […]

From the Edneyville Fire & Rescue Facebook Page: On March 20 at approx. 4:22 am, EFD along with auto aid, was dispatched to a structure fire on Fruitland Rd with a subject trapped inside. The first arriving unit found heavy fire to both the 1st and 2nd floor of the home. Two firefighters entered to […]

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (WSYR-TV) — The Syracuse Fire Department was sent to 343 Park Street around 6:04 p.m. on March 20 for a fire reported by the Onondaga County 911 center. Firefighters from Station 9 went to the scene in just over two minutes, according to Syracuse Fire Department. Following, they reported heavy smoke coming from […]

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — A 3-alarm fire at Our Mother of Consolation Catholic School in Chestnut Hill was placed under control shortly after 5 p.m. Tuesday, the Philadelphia Fire Department said. The school is located on East Chestnut Hill Avenue near Germantown Avenue. It was badly damaged during the blaze. Crews were called to the scene at around […]

CHICAGO (WLS) — Four firefighters were injured after a roof collapsed during a fire in a Jeffery Manor townhome Tuesday morning. The extra-alarm fire broke out at about 3:38 a.m. in a two-story residence in the 2200-block of East 100th Street. Chicago Fire First District Chief Jim McDonough said two firefighters became trapped after the second […]