Black Saturday - 4/20/1963 Staten Island Brush Fire Destroys 100 Homes (in photos)

[mack]

Black Saturday: One of the largest fires in Staten Island history in photos​

Black Saturday: One of the largest fires in Staten Island history in photos

On April 20, 1963, three brush fires devastated multiple Staten Island neighborhoods, burning down more than 100 houses.

www.silive.com

Mrs. Dorothy Vorek stands within the leveled walls of her former home at 875 Sinclair Avenue in Huguenot, as a fire pumper throws a stream to test water flow from a nearby hydrant. Mrs. Vorek's home, was one of about 100 structures destroyed or damaged in the 1963 brush fire epidemic on the South Shore – April 20, 1963. Staten Island Advance

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. –– Nearly 60 years ago, 100 homes were destroyed, as three different fires simultaneously burned through multiple Staten Island neighborhoods.

On April 20, 1963, also known as Black Saturday, a total of three large brush fires began in Rossville, Tottenville, and Mariners Harbor. In their wake, the fires caused more than $2 million of property damage and left over 500 people homeless.



Remains of a home on Edge Grove Avenue that was burned down in the historic brush fire that caused more than $2 million in damage to houses and businesses in Mariners Harbor and on the South Shore in 1963 – April 21, 1963 (Staten Island Advance/ Jim Romano)



It was dry and windy outside when the first and largest brush fire ignited at around 10:00 AM on Arthur Kill Road in Rossville. Powerful 50 mph winds spread the fire east through Annadale and Huguenot, reaching as far as Hylan Boulevard.





Historic fire of Black Saturday burns through brush near Page Avenue and Richmond Valley Road – April 20, 1963 (Staten Island Advance)

At around the same time, a second fire began near the Tottenville beachfront, ravaging houses, a restaurant, and the South Shore Swim Club before stopping near Mount Loretto.



The third fire, which scorched 11 houses in Mariners Harbor, started around noon.


Flames, that licked at woodlands, homes, just about everything as they swept by, brought disaster to hundreds of Staten Islanders in Spring of 1963 – April 1963 (Staten Island Advance)


While no deaths were reported, 36 people received medical treatment at hospitals. Five people were admitted to hospitals for more serious injuries.



Fireman, James Fisher of Company 187, was injured in Tottenville during Black Saturday – one of the worst fires in the history of Staten Island. The 1963 inferno scorched 100 homes across the South Shore and Mariners Harbor – April 21, 1963 (Staten Island Advance)


To make matters worse, the water pressure in the fire hydrants on Black Saturday was so low that many firemen were left to helplessly watch the fires consume homes and businesses.



Evergreen trees on the grounds of St. Francis Seminary, atop Todt Hill, wither before the blazing onslaught of a brush fire in the area. On this day, known as Black Saturday, approximately 100 homes were destroyed by brush fires across the South Shore and Mariners Harbor – April 20, 1963 (Staten Island Advance/ Jim Romano)


“Some firemen cried as the houses burned down,” one woman shared. “There wasn’t any water. The firemen stood by and couldn’t do a thing.”



The house that once stood on this site on Claypit Road in Pleasant Plains was swallowed by the 1963 brush fire, but the steps and foundation remain -- a playground for neighborhood children. They are, left to right, Robert McKinney, Katherine McKinney, Jeffrey Moody, and Bernard McKinney – April 19, 1965 (Staten Island Advance/ John Padula)Staten Island Advance



For many living in the area during the fire of April 20, 1963, all that remained after the flames were extinguished were a few walls of a home with a charred car outside – April 20, 1963 (Staten Island Advance)



Stanley Haugland of 754 Rossville Avenue, looks at chest that belonged to his neighbor, Harry Anderson of 746 Rossville Avenue. Very little remained in parts of the Rossville neighborhood after Black Saturday when a massive brush fire blazed through Rossville, Annadale, and Huguenot – April 21, 1963 (Staten Island Advance)



A Tottenville woman, identified as Mrs. Kramer of Surf Avenue, had her car as well as her house destroyed by the ravenous fire on Black Saturday that left more than 500 Staten Island residents homeless in 1963 – April 21, 1963 (Staten Island Advance)

 

[mack]

FDNY requested mutual aid from NJ. Jersey City Fire Department sent 6 pumpers to operate in SI.

 

[mack]

Most of the summaries of April 20, 1963 indicate that there were about a thousand fires in the city that day, including the SI brush fires. Johnd248 identified a 5th alarm in Brooklyn. Staten Island had three 5th alarm-level fires burning at the same time - Rossville, Tottenville and the West Shore. The two South Shore fires converged. There was no VN bridge to Brooklyn yet for SI relocations.

The story goes that the 23 Battalion tried to keep in front of the Tottenville fire, moving constantly as the fire jumped roads and burned homes, garages and buildings. The Tottenville fire moved rapidly from Paige Avenue in Tottenville to Princes Bay with 30 MPH winds.

The mutual aid was request to Jersey City FD was the first in FDNY history, as reported in most accounts. I saw a convoy of 6 or 8 red open-cab Jersey City Seagrave pumpers like this one:

(could not find actual JCFD pumpers that responded)

Brooklyn and Manhattan companies had to take the ferries and then Hylan Blvd, Victory Blvd, Richmond Avenue or Amboy Road to reach SI fires. Many SI streets back then were unmarked - no street signs. There were many overgrown streets, dirt roads, dummy boxes - and many relocated companies did not have SI maps.

Even though April 20th was the worst day, with three simultaneous 5th alarm fires (they would have all been greater alarms if more units were available to respond) as well as many additional multiples on SI alone, the SI brush fire problem ran a full week (Easter week 1963).

 

[mack]

SI brush fires, April 21-April 28 1963 (source WNYF):

Date/SI Brush Fires/SI Multiple Alarm Brush Fires
4/21 /39 /4
4/22 /27 /4
4/23 /94 /11
4/24 /72 /5
4/25 /64 /16
4/26 /54 /4
4/27 /51 /2
4/28 /34 /5

Totals /435 /51

Note - these totals were for SI brush fires only.

 

[mack]

 

[mack]

Black Saturday: One of the largest fires in New York history in photos​

• Source: Staten Island Advance
• Published: 04/26/2021 12:00 AM

Nearly 60 years ago, 100 homes were destroyed, as three different fires simultaneously burned through multiple Staten Island neighborhoods. On April 20, 1963, also known as Black Saturday, a total of three large brush fires began in Rossville, Tottenville, and Mariners Harbor. In their wake, the fires caused more than $2 million of property damage and left over 500 people homeless. It was dry and windy outside when the first and largest brush fire ignited at around 10:00 AM on Arthur Kill Road in Rossville. Powerful 50 mph winds spread the fire east through Annadale and Huguenot, reaching as far as Hylan Boulevard. At around the same time, a second fire began near the Tottenville beachfront, ravaging houses, a restaurant, and the South Shore Swim Club before stopping near Mount Loretto.

 

[DaveReinstein]

And one of the jobs that gave Gibb the idea for the superpumper.

 

[entropychaser]

The conditions that led to Black Saturday as I recall existed down the entire Eastern Seaboard at least to Virginia. Staten Island just happened to be ground zero for the wildland-urban interface before anyone knew it existed.

Also, I remember that one of the Staten Island engine companies had relocators that went up to the 8th section. Wonder if there were any problems counting the bells that day?

 

[johnd248]

Brooklyn 5th alarm at Box 1543: Church and Ocean Avenues. E 248 was relocating to SI and came across the fire. Later in the day, another major fire at Box 2125: Linden Blvd & Rockaway.

 

[mack]

Brooklyn 5th alarm at Box 1543: Church and Ocean Avenues. E 248 was relocating to SI and came across the fire. Later in the day, another major fire at Box 2125: Linden Blvd & Rockaway.

John - Were you working on E 248 that day?

 

[mack]

The conditions that led to Black Saturday as I recall existed down the entire Eastern Seaboard at least to Virginia. Staten Island just happened to be ground zero for the wildland-urban interface before anyone knew it existed.

Also, I remember that one of the Staten Island engine companies had relocators that went up to the 8th section. Wonder if there were any problems counting the bells that day?

How is this for number of sections? This was a few years later when engine companies from Manhattan and Brooklyn were relocated to Engine 164 for a busy brush day.





In the 1960s. there were several conditions which made SI vulnerable to heavy brush fire activity during dry spring, fall and even summer periods of time. These included:

- Heavy development of areas, particularly the West Shore and the South Shore which significantly increased the population and located hundreds of new homes and buildings in areas of SI which were previously woodland areas.
- Poor water system - small water supply mains, lack of hydrants.
- Undeveloped infrastructure - access by ferry only from Manhattan and Brooklyn, no VN Bridge to Brooklyn, no highways, many unpaved roads (no hydrants), unmarked roads.
- Lack of FDNY fire companies in West Shore and South Shore (E 154 was located in Tompkinsville, E 167/L 87 and Engine 168 firehouses not yet built).
- Lack of accurate maps which reflected new streets and developments for relocated companies from other boroughs.
- Extremely dry weather periods.

During that 1963 period, SI (then known in FDNY as Richmond), many SI companies ran with their 2nd piece as a 2nd section or as a Brush Patrol Section. Truck companies carried Indian Pumps and brooms to work with engine companies.

 

[johnd248]

John - Were you working on E 248 that day?

No, Mack. I went and helped drain hose but I wasn't officially with the company until February, 1964. I did go to the fire on Linden and Rockaway and helped stretch lines because there was no manpower.

 

[entropychaser]

How is this for number of sections? This was a few years later when engine companies from Manhattan and Brooklyn were relocated to Engine 164 for a busy brush day.


View attachment 19015


In the 1960s. there were several conditions which made SI vulnerable to heavy brush fire activity during dry spring, fall and even summer periods of time. These included:

- Heavy development of areas, particularly the West Shore and the South Shore which significantly increased the population and located hundreds of new homes and buildings in areas of SI which were previously woodland areas.
- Poor water system - small water supply mains, lack of hydrants.
- Undeveloped infrastructure - access by ferry only from Manhattan and Brooklyn, no VN Bridge to Brooklyn, no highways, many unpaved roads (no hydrants), unmarked roads.
- Lack of FDNY fire companies in West Shore and South Shore (E 154 was located in Tompkinsville, E 167/L 87 and Engine 168 firehouses not yet built).
- Lack of accurate maps which reflected new streets and developments for relocated companies from other boroughs.
- Extremely dry weather periods.

During that 1963 period, SI (then known in FDNY as Richmond), many SI companies ran with their 2nd piece as a 2nd section or as a Brush Patrol Section. Truck companies carried Indian Pumps and brooms to work with engine companies.

One other factor: Leo Stapleton noted that the Boston jakes used to joke that when Johnny left for school, his mother would pack his lunchbox with a sandwich, chips, and a box of matches.