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1909 - February 13, 1909 - Milwaukee Fire Department, WI - 6 Firemen Die
On arrival, firefighters found heavy fire showing from the first and second floors of a six-story brick asbestos factory. The building became fully involved in fire and firefighters fought the blaze from every available vantage point, including the roof of a piano factory to the rear. As firefighters attacked the fire, most of the front wall, from the second floor up, collapsed into the street. As Asst. Chief Gunning went to the rear to get the men off the roof of the four-story piano factory, the rear wall of the fire building collapsed onto it, carrying numerous firefighters down through the top two floors of the structure. The dead and injured had to be lowered from the upper floor windows by ropes. Five members of the MFD were killed in the collapse of the wall and another member of Engine 19 was critically injured. He died February 15th as a result of injuries sustained. It was discovered that the two top floors of the asbestos plant were added on just several years before the fatal fire. The fire started when a worker was heating a "fireproof" varnish for coating pipes on a stove, and the container exploded, showering him with the flaming product. He ran from the building engulfed in flames prior to the arrival of firefighters.
(News article)
Milwaukee, WI Johns Manville Mfg Co Fire, Feb 1909
Milwaukee Firemen Caught Under a Falling Wall.
MILWAUKEE, Wis., Feb. 13.---Five firemen were killed and about a dozen injured, two fatally, by the toppling over of a brick wall while they were fighting fire in the big plant of the H. W. Johns Manville Manufacturing Company at 225 Clybourne Street this afternoon. An employee of the concern received burns in his attempt to escape from the burning building which resulted in his death at a hospital.
The pecuniary loss is estimated at $25,000, covered by insurance.
Two companies of firemen were stationed on a wall and roof of the Waltham Piano building south of the H. W. Johns Manville plant when, without warning, the rear wall of the burning building bulged outward and crashed down. The firemen were caught under the mass of brick and timber, which smashed through the roof of the piano warehouse, carrying the firemen to the floor below.
The fire followed an explosion of oil on the second floor of the plant of the Manville Company.
The dead are:
February 13, 1909 Assistant Chief James Gunning, 49
February 13 1909 Lieutenant Nathan Whaley, 39 Engine 4
February 13, 1909 Pipeman John Craft, 31 Engine 4
February 13, 1909 Pipeman Leonard Curtis, 32 Engine 4
February 13, 1909 Pipeman Joseph Bielinski, 22 Engine 19
Pipeman Otto Nimmer, 24 – Engine 19 died two days later, February 15th of the injuries he sustained on this day as well.
The dead employee was Thomas Pitchs.
MFD Line of Duty Deaths
1909 - February 13, 1909 - Milwaukee Fire Department, WI - 6 Firemen Die
On arrival, firefighters found heavy fire showing from the first and second floors of a six-story brick asbestos factory. The building became fully involved in fire and firefighters fought the blaze from every available vantage point, including the roof of a piano factory to the rear. As firefighters attacked the fire, most of the front wall, from the second floor up, collapsed into the street. As Asst. Chief Gunning went to the rear to get the men off the roof of the four-story piano factory, the rear wall of the fire building collapsed onto it, carrying numerous firefighters down through the top two floors of the structure. The dead and injured had to be lowered from the upper floor windows by ropes. Five members of the MFD were killed in the collapse of the wall and another member of Engine 19 was critically injured. He died February 15th as a result of injuries sustained. It was discovered that the two top floors of the asbestos plant were added on just several years before the fatal fire. The fire started when a worker was heating a "fireproof" varnish for coating pipes on a stove, and the container exploded, showering him with the flaming product. He ran from the building engulfed in flames prior to the arrival of firefighters.
(News article)
Milwaukee, WI Johns Manville Mfg Co Fire, Feb 1909
Milwaukee Firemen Caught Under a Falling Wall.
MILWAUKEE, Wis., Feb. 13.---Five firemen were killed and about a dozen injured, two fatally, by the toppling over of a brick wall while they were fighting fire in the big plant of the H. W. Johns Manville Manufacturing Company at 225 Clybourne Street this afternoon. An employee of the concern received burns in his attempt to escape from the burning building which resulted in his death at a hospital.
The pecuniary loss is estimated at $25,000, covered by insurance.
Two companies of firemen were stationed on a wall and roof of the Waltham Piano building south of the H. W. Johns Manville plant when, without warning, the rear wall of the burning building bulged outward and crashed down. The firemen were caught under the mass of brick and timber, which smashed through the roof of the piano warehouse, carrying the firemen to the floor below.
The fire followed an explosion of oil on the second floor of the plant of the Manville Company.
The dead are:
February 13, 1909 Assistant Chief James Gunning, 49
February 13 1909 Lieutenant Nathan Whaley, 39 Engine 4
February 13, 1909 Pipeman John Craft, 31 Engine 4
February 13, 1909 Pipeman Leonard Curtis, 32 Engine 4
February 13, 1909 Pipeman Joseph Bielinski, 22 Engine 19
Pipeman Otto Nimmer, 24 – Engine 19 died two days later, February 15th of the injuries he sustained on this day as well.
The dead employee was Thomas Pitchs.