To wrap this up….
As is usual for such tragic events, controversy swirled in the aftermath. Did the unpopular Fire Commissioner at the time, Edward F. Cavanaugh, interfere with fire ground operations? Did he order a hose stream directed at a glowing cantilever beam, causing it to snap and drop...
We all know what happened next. The marquee, weakened by the intense flames, crashed to the street, bringing with it most of the front wall. Six firefighters perished, most of them in an instant. I will list their names again.
Lt. John F. Molloy E48
Fireman Edward J. Carroll E48
Fireman...
The BXCO’s first order was to special call Engine 82 and H&L 31 to Box #2953, the abandoned building fire (a circumstance those companies would become quite familiar with in the coming years). This incident kept All Hands working for several hours.
The size up at Box #2941 was reported by L27...
As the clock ticked past 7:00pm on that Wednesday, April 4th, 1956 the Bronx Communications Office (BXCO) of the FDNY tapped out Box # 2773 on the bells. The location was Macombs Rd. at Inwood Ave, to the west of Jerome Ave. The following companies responded:
Engines 42 92 68 and H&Ls 44 49...
Just before 9:00pm on the evening of April 4th, 1956, I sat in my living room in our apartment on Decatur Avenue watching TV (Channel 5, the Dumont Network, as I recall) with my Mom. Suddenly a news flash appeared on the screen…”6 firemen killed at a fire at 175th Street and 3rd Avenue in the...
This photo is NOT of the Third Avenue collapse on 04/04/1956.
This photo is NOT of the Third Avenue collapse on 4/4/1956. Different fire a decade later.
5 engines, 4 trucks, 2 battalions, a deputy, Rescue, Squad, RAC...relocators from the bottom of the borough to the top, and two more from Queens...for a fire "confined to the oven"?
No wonder the City is broke.
My Uncle Charles was the chauffeur of L37 in da' Bronx when this new FWD Chicago reject was assigned to them. They thought they were getting a new American La France metal aerial ladder like the one at his brother's house at L38. But then this "thing" showed up on Briggs Ave.
Initially it did...
Just guessin' here...next up
45 88 71 48
38 55 56
Maybe even 75/33 min the mix.
How well do I grade out?
Tough to guess anymore with relocators responding to the incident.
The "G-Man Rule" applies to situations where 1st due companies are unavailable due to some administrative assignment (i.e., medical, visit to the Rock for training), NOT for being assigned at another box. If E96 was already out at Box 2801 this would not be an example of the "G-Man Rule".