A historical repository for the North American Fire Service

Front Page Photographs

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Year	Fire Department	Remarks	Photograph
Late 1800's	Bellingham, WA	Bellingham Volunteers pose for this photo taken in the late 1800's.
1967	San Francisco, CA	July 18th, 1967. San Francisco FF's battle a multi alarm fire at the corner of California and Divisadero Blvd's at the Simon Brother's Market.
1965	San Jose, CA	June 7th, 1965: San Jose FF's fight a large 2 alarm fire at the Crest Theater. The fire gutted the building.
1939	San Francisco, CA	May 17th, 1939: San Francisco FF's vent a roof on a multi-story dwelling at the corner of Pacific and Franklin Streets.
1964	San Francisco, CA	October 16th, 1964: San Francisco's Bravest fight a fire at 4871 Mission St.
1964	San Francisco, CA	August 4th, 1964: San Francisco FF's battle a large blaze at the corner of Front and Clay Streets. The 4 story vacant building was leveled by the fire.
1943	San Francisco, CA	March 29th, 1943: FF's battle a large fire into a building at 3840 Eighteenth Street. Despite all efforts the building was completely destroyed.
1970	Tucson, AZ	December 20th, 1970: Juvenile Court petitions alleging felony homicide and arson against a 16-year-old youth in a $2.5 million fire which killed 28 persons and injured 27 in the Pioneer International Hotel.
1893	Chicago, IL	July 10th, 1893. 12 firefighters were killed in a fire in a cold storage warehouse at the World's Fair in Chicago, IL. A small fire took hold in the chimney area on the cupola of the roof of the building. Firefighters raced to the top of the building without the knowledge that fire had dropped below them through the wall and had taken a strong foothold below them. They were trapped and all but on chose to jump 90' and accept his fate as it was given. Four of the dead were Chicago Firefighters and eight were of the Exposition Fire Brigade.
1940	Terra Haute, IN	FF's demonstrate the use of their ladder truck. Circa 1940
1922	Nashua, NH	The Telegraph Newspaper Building of Nashua, NH is destroyed in a spectacular blaze on Main Street in April of 1922.
1902	Battle Creek, MI	Station #3 was built in 1902 at its present site of 222 Cliff St. It is the BCFD's oldest working station. It housed two companies of various types due to its proximity to the cereal plants, type of housing, and the isolation of that area by the railroads. It was reduced to a single engine house in 1952.
1937	Lakehurst, NJ	This incredibly horrific photo is of the infamous Hindenburg crashing at Lakehurst Naval Air Station on May 6th, 1937. The accident served to shatter public confidence, and marked the end of the giant, passenger carrying rigid airships. Of 36 passengers and 61 crew, only 13 and 22 died respectively. It also is the scene of some of the most prolific words in radio broadcasting to be spoken. It was by Herbert Morrison of WLS Chicago Radio. As the doomed airship crashed into the ground he kept reporting. As the ship continued to explode he began to realize the the deadly fate and in an instant he cried, "Oh, the humanity"!. Video of disaster
1946	Minneapolis, MN	A fire engine throws water on the Brooks Elevator Corporations million bushel grain elevator. The fire occurred on December 28th, 1946.
1909	Notre Dame, IN	FF's from the Fire Department of the University of Notre Dame post in 1909. Thanks to Assistant Chief William G. Farhat for the photograph.
1951	Coatesville, PA	Coatesville FF's fight a building fire on Main Street in 1951.
1918	Washington, DC	Washington DC's battle a building fire in 1918.
1889	Baton Rouge, LA	FF's and sons from Fire Company No.3 of Baton Rouge, LA pose for this parade photo in full dress regalia.
1912	Unknown	I cannot think of anything more beautiful than a steamer team in full gallop! Especially when it is 3 gorgeous white horses. These guys are "totin' the mail" in 1912 as everyone watches from the sidewalk.
1915	Baltimore, MD	Baltimore's 1891 Hale Water Tower connected to a 1915 Christie Tractor.
1912	New York, NY	FDNY FF's do salvage and overhaul on the roof of the News Service Building in Manhattan in 1912.
1911	Wisconsin	This picture of a lone steamer working the front of a building fire in 1911 is from a town of unknown origin in the State of Wisconsin.
1900's	Unknown	This is a typical watch desk from the early 1900's.
1911	New York, NY	-FF James D. Halloran of Engine Co.20 is the inventor of this style smoke mask. One of these three is him. This photo was taken October 18th, 1911.
1944	Hartford, CT	On a sunny and hot afternoon on July 6th, 1944, thousands of people made their way to the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus in Hartford, CT. 168 would never go home. This is the 64th anniversary of the Hartford Circus Fire. Go here for more information on this terrible tragedy.
1929	Chicago, IL	FF's pose with Jr. Chicago FF's and Smoky Rogers the Clown in 1929
1911	Detroit, MI	Detroit FD first mechanized rig, a 1911 Packard.
1900	Detroit, MI	The Detroit FD Fire Boat "James Battle" during it's construction phase.
1906	Chicago, IL	A Chicago Fire Patrol wagon on the streets in 1906.
1910	Las Animas, CO	FF's and two boys pose with a horse drawn ladder wagon in front of their fire station in Bent County, Colorado in 1910.
1917	Chicago, IL	Chicago FF's work in freezing temperatures, at a U.S. Army Medical Corps warehouse at West 40th Street and South Dearborn in 1917.
1881	Alexandria, LA	FF's test out their new Silsby steam fire engine in 1881.
1973	Kingman, AZ	12 firefighters were killed at the Doxol Gas Explosion in Kingman, AZ on July 5th, 1973. They were Captain William L. Casson, Assistant Chief Myron B. Cox, Firefighter Roger A. Hubka, Lieutenant Joseph M. Chambers III, Firefighter Marvin E. Mast, Probationary Firefighter Arthur C. Stringer, Captain Christopher G. Sanders, Firefighter Richard Lee Williams, Firefighter Frank S. Henry, Firefighter John O. Campbell, Firefighter Donald G. Webb, and Firefighter Alan Hansen. This photo is of the rail car just before it BLEVE'd
1973	Kingman, AZ	This is the resulting BLEVE. Four men were killed instantly and the rest would die of burns and injuries over the next several days.
1895	Opelousas, LA	Opelousas FF's pose for a photo company in St. Landry Parish, Louisiana.
1979	Baltimore, MD	Balto City FF's are silhouetted against a fire at the Patterson Park Casino in 1979.
Unknown	Philadelphia, PA	A crowd gathers as FF's flow big water on a building fire.
1954	Pittsburgh, PA	A Pittsburgh Battalion Chief leads troops in fighting a large fire in 1954.
1949	Rochester, NY	FF's flow multiple lines on a large building fire in downtown Rochester in 1949.
Unknown	New Orleans, LA	NOLA FF's fight a huge blaze in the Godchaux Department Store at 500 Canal St.
1890	Bowling Green, KY	Bowling Green FF's show off their gear in this 1890 photo.
1986	North Charleston, SC	Lightning struck a 2.5million gallon unleaded gasoline tank in 1986. The resulting fire burned for four days and took departments from around the state to assist in the blaze.
Unknown	Unknown	The photo says it all.
Unknown	New York, NY	This is the flag of the 11th Regiment of the US Army during the Civil War. They were called the Fire Zouaves because they were mainly comprised of New York Firefighters.
1895	Portland, ME	Portland's first fireboat, Engine 7, is shown here pulling into dock in 1895.
1905	Chicago, IL	A Chicago steamer works a blaze during the winter. Notice the policeman that is all bundled up.
1950's	North Charleston, SC	NCFD Firefighters "vent a roof" on a shanty house in Union Heights in the 1950's.
Unknown	Chicago, IL	Engine Co.72 of Chicago's Eastside showing off their hardware.
1906	San Francisco, CA	San Francisco FF's wet down hotspots on a building during the 1906 Earthquake.
Unknown	New York, NY	The FDNY fights a large fire on 14th Street In Manhattan.
Unknown	Unknown	This is a gorgeous site! Three white fire horses with their ears laid back in full gallop! You can see the FF on the rear laying on the steam whistle to clear the way!
Unknown	Philadelphia, PA	A Philly FF works a large water monitor at a large building fire.
Unknown	Washington, DC	Black FF's from Washington DC Engine 4 prepare to leave for a fire alarm.
1888	Elmira, NY	A steamer for the Elmira Fire Department operates at a large fire during the winter of 1888. The entire pump system is frozen over with water spray and leaks.
1981	Lynn, MA	Cambridge Tower 1 works the big guns on the Benson Show Building during a multi alarm blaze in Lynn, MA. Thanks to Bill Noonan for the photo.
1939	Denver, CO	On July 17th, 1939 two Denver rigs struck one another at a busy intersection while enroute to a fire. The overturned engine received "significant" damage and was totaled as a result.
1905	Denver, CO	Firemen from Engine Co.5 lower harnesses onto their horses for a run. Notice the horses anticipation with their nostrils flared and their ears pinned back. They are ready to roll!
Unknown	Lake City, SC	FF's fight a large fire in downtown Lake City. The year of this photo is unknown.
1980's	Baltimore, MD	Baltimore FF's fight a large blaze in the Koppers Company complex. This is one of many fires that occurred in this complex with this one taking place in the early 80's.
1941	Boston, MA	Boston FF's pose with a fire engine that was converted into a Anti Aircraft gun platform for their use during World War II. With the threat of German U-Boats off the coast and the ever present "invasion" scare going on, several fire departments up and down the Eastern seaboard did this same thing.
1964	Enid, OK	Enid FF's look at the American LaFrance JO Aerial that turned over as it assisted in restringing the school flag pole. The accident occurred on April 6th, 1964. 1 school employee that was on the ladder received a broken wrist and repairs to the truck cost $6,750.
1920	Toronto, CANADA	A Toronto, Canada Fire Cadet is shown in this 1920's photo.
Unknown	Unknown	This steamer is working hard in this unknown photograph.
1907	Centralia, WA	Centralia, WA FF's pose with their new Seagrave fire engine in 1907.
1906	San Francisco, CA	April 18th, 1906 changed San Francisco forever. This is the San Francisco's first steam fire engine as it lay in the rubble of the collapsed Sloane Building. It was stricken while fighting the fires after the Great Earthquake and it was left to it's fate and subsequently the building fell on it, finishing the job.
1936	North Charleston, SC	Officials with the North Charleston Fire Department perform an acceptance test on their new 1936 Ford/Seagrave Fire Engine at Colonial Lake in downtown Charleston
1892	San Mateo, CA	San Mateo Hose Company No.1 in 1892.
1948	Cleveland, OH	On March 6th, 1948, Cleveland FF's responded to the Arco Paint Factory. There were dozens of explosions and most of the building was destroyed in the multiple alarm blaze. It caused and estimated $100,000 worth of damage by 1948 standards.
Unknown	New York, NY	New York FF's make their way up ladders to make multiple rescues at this apartment building fire.
1955	Baltimore, MD	February 14th, 1955, Baltimore FF's battled a blaze at the First Full Gospel Church.
1907	Boston, MA	The Boston Protective Department show off its new 1907 Knox Fire Squad. The Boston Protective was a fire salvage group based in Boston. The Boston Fire Protective went out of service in 1959. Special thanks to Bill Noonan for the photo!
1950	Columbia, SC	Two firefighters help a third at a blaze in the 800 block of Main Street in downtown Columbia, South Carolina. This early morning fire occurred on November 5th, 1950.
1912	New York, NY	Firefighters from the FDNY brave frigid temperatures during the Equitable Fire on January 9th, 1912. This This fire also was the scene of unparalleled bravery produced by Engineer Seneca Larke. He was awarded the James Gordon Bennett Medal of Valor for the multi-hour rescue of a trapped man behind steel bars.
1924	Ames, IA	The Ames Fire Department in 1924 shows a 1922 Seagrave Service Truck and their 1916 American LaFrance pumper. Fire Chief Lynn Morris stands behind the small boy on the toy fire truck and Sam Long, who later would become the fire chief, sits at the left in the LaFrance.
Unknown	New York, NY	FF's from FDNY Engine 53 and Ladder 43, "El Barrios Bravest", work at a multi story building fire in Manhattan. Thanks to www.elbarriosbravest.com
1910	Boston, MA	Chemical 13 was placed in service on July 29th, 1910. It was a Knox Chemical Car that was the first motorized rig for the Boston Fire Department. It was destroyed in a wreck and was replaced by a similar vehicle. Special thanks to Bill Noonan for the photo!
1903	Chicago, IL	Crippling cold hampered firefighting efforts at a fire at the Hollister Brothers Building fire in 1903. Ice quickly formed on apparatus as thousands of gallons of water were poured onto the fire.
1916	St. Louis, MO	St. Louis Firemen marching in a funeral procession for 6 men that were killed in the Christian Brothers College Fire that occurred on October 5th, 1916.
1915	Charleston, SC	Charleston Police Department patrol wagon showing the damage from the accident.
1915	Charleston, SC	Assistant Chief Morris's car showing the damage from the accident.
1905	Charleston, SC	Black Firefighters sit in the rear of CFD's Central Station in the early 1900's. Charlie Pequette (2nd from left) was directly associated with several life saves during his career. Later, while driving for the Assistant Chief, he seriously injured in an accident while enroute to an alarm. A police wagon, enroute to the same call, struck the AC's car. Charlie would survive his injuries, however Assistant Chief Morris, died.
1906	San Francisco, CA	Engine Co.7 operates in the conflagration zone during the aftermath of the Great San Francisco Earthquake of 1906.
1863	Alexandria, VA	The Fire Department at the US Arsenal in Alexandria, VA proudly displays their new Amoskeag harp tank 2nd Class steamers. They are registered numbers 49 on the left and 66 on the right.