Lukenbach Steamship 35th Street Pier Fire - 12/3/56

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Shortly after 1500hrs on December 3, 1956 staff working in the pierhouse of the Lukenbach Steamship Co 35th Street Pier facility in Brooklyn noticed that a large consignment (26,350lbs) of foam rubber scrap awaiting shipment had caught fire which was quickly growing out of control. The first report of the fire reached Brooklyn Central Office at 1516hrs, which then dispatched several companies to the scene including Engine 228 and Battalion 25. Acting Lt. Kraemer on E228 called in a second alarm shortly after arriving on the North side of the pier and finding the fire seated some 750ft from landside and rapidly spreading throughout the densely packed warehouse. Engine 223, fireboat Fire Fighter, arrived from her station at the foot of 39th St within minutes and began operations as the third, fourth and fifth alarms were rung out roughly 10 minutes apart from each other. Battalion Chief Bahr arrived onscene and quickly ordered the Fire Fighter to shift ahead roughly 200ft closer to shore and link up with E278 to work on containing the out of control fire to the water side the structure and away from a partially loaded freighter on the opposite side of the pier.

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Arriving units were still being staged and Fire Fighter was just beginning to send water back topside when the fire reached a 37,000lb shipment of blasting caps destined for California mine and set off an enormous explosion that sent a shrapnel-filled blast wave through the immediate area along with a shockwave strong enough to break windows on every building in a 3-block radius. Though several dozen fire fighters were injured by the blast, there were miraculously no fatalities to the first responders. The same could not be said for the crowd of onlookers watching from the adjacent pier and exposed to the full force of the blast and shrapnel wave; 10 were killed. In the immediate aftermath of the blast, onscene commanders tried to reestablish contact with their units, many assuming the worst for those last known to be in, on and around the pier house itself. The two closest units, E278 and Fire Fighter, were both damaged by the blast and their members all experienced various levels of injury but were soon back in action albeit in a reduced capacity.

In addition to the main fire now consuming the entire pier, new fires in the immediate and surrounding area set off by flaming debris and embers began to be reported, along with reports of hundreds of civilian injuries from glass shards or debris began to join the already-long list of injured members and civilians onsite. The first of two Borough Calls were dispatched by the Brooklyn Central Office as well as a full response from the Marine Division to help combat the fire with the pier now fully involved.

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Marine Division units and Coast Guard Cutters worked together to combat the enormous blaze from the harbor side of the while landside units set up streams to keep the fires from spreading further than the pier foot, while intrepid commercial tugboat crews darted in and out of the slips to remove barges and other vessels from the fire area. The Borough Call response continued through the rest of the afternoon and evening, and by nightfall the blaze had been largely contained to the shattered pier itself and relief and containment operations commenced. By dawn on December 4th crews were dousing the last of the hotspots on the totally destroyed pier and taking stock of the previous days events.

Later dubbed "The Miracle on 35th Street" by the comparatively low loss of life among civilians and firefighters, the fire and blast nevertheless caused 250 injuries and killed 10 people in the surrounding area. Investigations into the fire and subsequent blast led to the imposition of new requirements for pier facilities in New York Harbor, specifically in regard to fire prevention and suppression equipment and cargo handling and segregation practices. While certainly effective in preventing another occurrence like the fire at the 35th Street Pier, the regulations also came at a time when most Steamship Companies could ill afford additional expenses in their port operations, which along with containerization and foreign competition lead to a prolonged period of pier and port abandonment in New York Harbor.

 
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Jul 20, 2022
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I was born in 1946 so at the time of this fire I was a 10-year-old boy. My father happened to be home that day and when he saw the smoke from our home in Flatbush Brooklyn, he said to me lets go see what is burning. By the time we drove from Flatbush to Bush Terminal the explosion had taken place. He parked and told me to stay in the car and he went to help people in the street that were injured. I remember seeing all fire apparatus rushing past me in the parked car. When my mother found Dad had taken me to this disaster, she had a fit, to say the least.
It was the first really big fire I saw in my life. I am now 76 years old and a retired FDNY Captain, but I can still remember all the broken glass in the buildings and blood from their injuries. Captain Bob Rainey FDNY Engine 26 retired
 
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I was born in 1946 so at the time of this fire I was a 10-year-old boy. My father happened to be home that day and when he saw the smoke from our home in Flatbush Brooklyn, he said to me lets go see what is burning. By the time we drove from Flatbush to Bush Terminal the explosion had taken place. He parked and told me to stay in the car and he went to help people in the street that were injured. I remember seeing all fire apparatus rushing past me in the parked car. When my mother found Dad had taken me to this disaster, she had a fit, to say the least.
It was the first really big fire I saw in my life. I am now 76 years old and a retired FDNY Captain, but I can still remember all the broken glass in the buildings and blood from their injuries. Captain Bob Rainey FDNY Engine 26 retired
I was 7yrs old at the time living in Windsor Terrace across from Green-Wood Cemetary when I heard and felt the explosion as I looked out the window I saw debris (wood and parts of the building) rising in the air mixed with the smoke.
Years later I’m a proby and I hear the stories from some of the senior men from L131 who lived through it. Amazing more fatalities were averted.
Great picture of ‘Firefighter’ Marine 9 in all her glory. Notice they’re using an aft monitor aimed at the water to maintain her position in the water.
 
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I was playing basketball in the gym of PS 249 at Caton Avenue and Marlborough Road. The explosion, about four miles away, caused one of the gym windows to blow in. We were blamed for breaking the window. When we went outside, the column of smoke in the air was huge. I was 13 at the time.
 
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Great picture of ‘Firefighter’ Marine 9 in all her glory. Notice they’re using an aft monitor aimed at the water to maintain her position in the water.

All the years and all the crew I've spoken with from Fighter cant seem to give me a straight answer on whether its to counteract the movement of the vessel or keep the high sea suctions clear of debris. Since most photos that have her spraying one monitor over the side are when shes close to shore and therefore running on her high sea suction ports, I tend to believe that its more for debris clearing than station keeping. But thats just my nickel less three pennies!
 
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Marine Co. 8 was located in Bay Ridge at I believe at #30th St. and the Narrows/ Lower Hudson.
Another Marine Co. I think Marine 7 was located under the Brooklyn Bridge in Brooklyn.
Marine 1 was at the Manhattan at the Battery at Pier "A"
Marine 2 was located at "Little West. 12 Street/W.12 St. I covered a vacation in Marine 2 as a covering Lieutenant.
Marine 3 ?
Marine 4 was at Gracie Mansion on Manhattan's Upper East Side on the East River
Marine 5 ?
Marine 6 was at Grand St. on Manhattans on the Lower East Side on the East River
Captain Bob Rainey Eng. 26 FDNY Retired
 
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Marine Co. 8 was located in Bay Ridge at I believe at #30th St. and the Narrows/ Lower Hudson.
Another Marine Co. I think Marine 7 was located under the Brooklyn Bridge in Brooklyn.
Marine 1 was at the Manhattan at the Battery at Pier "A"
Marine 2 was located at "Little West. 12 Street/W.12 St. I covered a vacation in Marine 2 as a covering Lieutenant.
Marine 3 ?
Marine 4 was at Gracie Mansion on Manhattan's Upper East Side on the East River
Marine 5 ?
Marine 6 was at Grand St. on Manhattans on the Lower East Side on the East River
Captain Bob Rainey Eng. 26 FDNY Retired
Marine 8 was located at the foot of 52nd St., Bklyn.
 
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The best breakdown I have on the unit locations and timelines is this, although I'm sure I'm wrong on a few details and dates.

Marine 1/Engine 57 was at Pier 1 until 1959, then moved to Pier A through 1992. After that they've been up at the foot of Bloomfield St ever since except for a brief relocation to Pier 40 while their pier and quarters were rebuilt.
Marine 2/Engine 86 was at the foot of Gansevoort St from 1908-1910 then went to the foot of Bloomfield St through 1991, after which the company was disbanded and the Harvey went into reserve.
Marine 3/Engine 85 was at 35th St & 12th Ave from 1908-1961 when the company disbanded and the Duane was retired. The unit was re-activated as a seasonal unit in 1996 and as of 2004 is based out of the Gateway Marina in Rockaway Inlet.
Marine 4 was at Ft Totten, Queens from 1962-1971 when it was disbanded and the Glenn was sent to Marine 5. The unit was re-activated as a seasonal unit in 1996 at Ft Schuyler and from 1998 has been back at Ft Totten.
Marine 5/Engine 78 was at the foot of Gansevoort St from 1904-1908 before moving to the foot of East 99th St through 1930 when they relocated to East 90th St/Gracie Mansion. The unit was disbanded in 1976 and the Glenn was subsequently sold to Washington DC.
Marine 6/Engine 232/BFD Engine 32 was at the foot of North 8th St Brooklyn from 1893-1922, then moved to Noble St where they stayed thru 1959. The unit then moved to the foot of Grand St Manhattan through 1992 before relocating to their current quarters at the Brooklyn Navy Yard.
Marine 7/Engine 77 was at the foot of Fulton St, Brooklyn from 1959-1970 when it was disbanded.
Marine 8/Engine 223/BFD Engine 23 was at the foot of 37th Street Brooklyn, then 38th Street from 1914-1962, then moved up to the foot of 52nd St Brooklyn where the unit remained until it was disbanded in 1970. The unit was re-activated in 2005 as a seasonal unit based out of Fresh Kills Marina on Staten Island.
Marine 9/Engine 51 was posted all over Manhattan from 1883-1903 and was at the foot of Hyatt St, Staten Island from 1922-1938. The unit moved to Pier 6 Staten Island from 1949 - 1959 then in 1967 moved to the Staten Island Ferry Terminal, Slip 8 through the mid-90s. By 1997 the unit was at its current location in the former Navy Homeport facility.
 
Last edited:
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Sep 25, 2013
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853
The best breakdown I have on the unit locations and timelines is this, although I'm sure I'm wrong on a few details and dates.

Marine 1/Engine 57 was at Pier 1 until 1959, then moved to Pier A through 1992. After that they've been up at the foot of Bloomfield St ever since except for a brief relocation to Pier 40 while their pier and quarters were rebuilt.
Marine 2/Engine 86 was at the foot of Gansevoort St from 1908-1910 then went to the foot of Bloomfield St through 1991, after which the company was disbanded and the Harvey went into reserve.
Marine 3/Engine 85 was at 35th St & 12th Ave from 1908-1961 when the company disbanded and the Duane was retired. The unit was re-activated as a seasonal unit in 1996 and as of 2004 is based out of the Gateway Marina in Rockaway Inlet.
Marine 4 was at Ft Totten, Queens from 1962-1971 when it was disbanded and the Glenn was sent to Marine 5. The unit was re-activated as a seasonal unit in 1996 at Ft Schuyler and from 1998 has been back at Ft Totten.
Marine 5/Engine 78 was at the foot of Gansevoort St from 1904-1908 before moving to the foot of East 99th St through 1930 when they relocated to East 90th St/Gracie Mansion. The unit was disbanded in 1976 and the Glenn was subsequently sold to Washington DC.
Marine 6/Engine 232/BFD Engine 32 was at the foot of North 8th St Brooklyn from 1893-1922, then moved to Noble St where they stayed thru 1959. The unit then moved to the foot of Grand St Brooklyn through 1992 before relocating to their current quarters at the Brooklyn Navy Yard.
Marine 7 was at the foot of Fulton St, Brooklyn from 1959-1970 when it was disbanded.
Marine 8/Engine 223/BFD Engine 23 was at the foot of 37th Street Brooklyn, then 38th Street from 1914-1962, then moved up to the foot of 52nd St Brooklyn where the unit remained until it was disbanded in 1970. The unit was re-activated in 2005 as a seasonal unit based out of Fresh Kills Marina on Staten Island.
Marine 9/Engine 23 was posted all over Manhattan from 1883-1903 and was at the foot of Hyatt St, Staten Island from 1922-1938. The unit moved to Pier 6 Staten Island from 1949 - 1959 then in 1967 moved to the Staten Island Ferry Terminal, Slip 8 through the mid-90s. By 1997 the unit was at its current location in the former Navy Homeport facility.
Marine 7/Engine 77
Marine 9/Engine 51

The first fireboat was Engine 43.

Fireboats were originally numbered as Marine Engines and retained their unit numbers as they moved from berth to berth. In 1922, new fireboats began assuming the unit numbers of the fireboats that they were replacing. This commonly confuses the Marine company histories because initially you must follow the individual fireboat history and later you follow the company history.
 
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