Oct. 1, 1901: NEW YORK CITY - A morning fire broke out on the third floor of 523 Court St. in Brooklyn. The family residing in the house was awakened by the smoke and escaped only to find that one boy was still sleeping upstairs. The father made repeated trips into the smoke-filled house attempting to warn his sleeping son. Arriving firemen entered a window, woke up the sleeping man, and helped him out the window and onto a ladder.
Oct. 3, 1901: PLAINFIELD, NJ - Flames erupted from a two-story wood-frame barn structure belonging near the edge of town at about 6 P.M. The structure was being used to store photographic papers and chemicals. Several explosions rocked the building as firemen arrived. Several young women employed by the photographic company were trapped by the fast-moving flames and were rescued by firemen.
Oct. 4, 1901: TAMPA, FL - Twenty buildings in the heart of the city were burned as flames swept the O'Halloran Cigar Company building and spread quickly. Flames jumped the street and marched from building to building in every direction. Hard pressed, firemen attempted to make a stand and were driven back several times.
Oct. 6, 1901: ALLEGHENY, PA - Six firemen were badly injured as they battled flames in the Pittsburg Clay Pot Works. While battling to contain the fire to two sections of the large building a wall collapsed. Firemen then struggled to rescue each other and control the mounting flames.
Oct. 7, 1901: NEW YORK CITY - Fireman Patrick Finn of Engine Company 26 was seriously injured while trying to stop a runaway horse bearing down on two children. Finn dashed into the street and lunged at the horse's head and grabbed on tight. The fireman was dragged a considerable distance and was dashed against the side of a wagon, but held on until the horse stopped. Finn suffered a broken leg and internal injuries; the children were unharmed.
Oct. 12, 1901: ST. LOUIS - Fire destroyed the building and contents of the Saint Louis Cereal Sugar Company. The adjoining building, the Saint Louis Candy Company, was also damaged. Total losses were more than $160,000.
Time Capsule
OCT: 8, 1901- NEW YORK CITY: FIREMEN BRAVE EXPLOSIVES-FILLED SHIP FIRE
A fire broke out in the hold of the British barque (a three-masted sailing ship) Criffel, moored at Pier 12, East River. The ship contained a cargo of gunpowder, cartridges and kerosene. At around 7 P.M., a passing policeman heard three shots fired by a watchman who reported the ship fire. Chief Charles Washington Krueger arrived and transmitted a second alarm.
Eight firemen volunteered to board the ship and force entry to the burning holds. A ladder was lowered into the first hold and firemen passed cases of gunpowder from hand to hand and up to the deck and directly into the river in a bucket brigade fashion.
The fire was located in a nearby hold filled with cans of oil. A line was stretched into the smoke-filled storage area as off-loading of nearby holds continued. Chief of Department Croker responded on the second alarm and took command of the operation directing the fireboat New Yorker to take a position alongside the burning craft.
As the fireboat moved in, its way was blocked by a tugboat whose crew also was trying to get a hoseline into position in an attempt to claim salvage rights. While the captain of the tug argued with the captain of the fireboat about who was going to take the position, the fireboat Van Wyke slipped in and tied to the side of the burning ship.
In all, firemen had to contend with a cargo that consisted of 250 cases of gunpowder, 30,000 cases of petroleum and 250 cases of shotgun shells. Their prompt actions averted an explosion.
Paul Hashagen, a Firehouse® contributing editor, is an FDNY firefighter assigned to Rescue Company 1 in Manhattan. He is also an ex-chief of the Freeport, NY, Fire Department. Hashagen is the author of FDNY 1865-2000: Millennium Book, a recently published history of the New York City Fire Department, and other fire service history books.
