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#Post#: 174--------------------------------------------------
1976--ST LOUIS MISSOURI FIRESTORM 21ST AND LOCUST
By: Diable Fire Date: February 21, 2011, 9:54 am
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Besides being a fire buff I am also a history buff and one of my
passions are the old fires, the one that men and machine fought
odds that were a million to one against them.
One of the ones that stick out in my mind is the 1976 St Louis
Firestorm that occurred on 2-April-1976. Before it was all said
and done the fire destroyed six buildings, damaged numerous
others, and at one time every piece of equipment for the City of
St Louis Fire Department was involved in fighting this fire or
putting out numerous others fires that were started by flying
embers. The fire burned out of control for three hours and could
have taken more of the City than what it did.
On the day of the fire the first arriving engine company and
battalion chief found a fire in the basement, but within minutes
the building was going from the basement through the roof. The
interesting thing about the building that the fire had started
in was a abandoned seven story factory, Hayday Shoe Company, and
the building had been the scene of another fire five years
before this fire and yet had been dealt with. The building also
had no power or gas service, and it was reported that one of the
building that survived the fire had a working sprinkler system
and firefighters reported that the building was saved with the
help of the sprinkler system.
At one point and time the City of St Louis fire Department Fire
Chief considered using dynamite to create a fire break but thank
god there was a natural fire break that included a parking lot
and a solid wall building.
The following is a quote from the St. Louis Post Dispatch which
ran a couple of articles about the fire in the past couple of
years:
"The next morning, as pumpers poured water onto smoldering
ruins, acting deputy fire chief Lou Stauss said, "People don't
realize it, but we almost lost the city of St. Louis.""
HTML http://lakeexpo.com/articles/2010/04/05/top_news/14.txt
HTML http://lakeexpo.com/articles/2010/04/05/top_news/14.txt
HTML http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/metro/article_e2335e6c-91d7-5e84-b24e-29e8d3406e49.html
HTML http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/metro/article_e2335e6c-91d7-5e84-b24e-29e8d3406e49.html
HTML http://images16.fotki.com/v3/photos/9/1737549/9412792/28738470E-vi.jpg
HTML http://images55.fotki.com/v1618/photos/9/1737549/9412792/28738476E-vi.jpg
HTML http://images57.fotki.com/v512/photos/9/1737549/9412792/28738479E-vi.jpg
HTML http://images110.fotki.com/v606/photos/9/1737549/9412792/28738482E-vi.jpg
#Post#: 175--------------------------------------------------
Re: 1976--ST LOUIS MISSOURI FIRESTORM 21ST AND LOCUST
By: Diable Fire Date: February 21, 2011, 9:58 am
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HTML http://images57.fotki.com/v81/photos/9/1737549/9412792/28738486E-vi.jpg
HTML http://images55.fotki.com/v1617/photos/9/1737549/9412792/28738487E-vi.jpg
HTML http://images110.fotki.com/v606/photos/9/1737549/9412792/28738488E-vi.jpg
HTML http://images116.fotki.com/v108/photos/9/1737549/9412792/28738490E-vi.jpg
#Post#: 176--------------------------------------------------
Re: 1976--ST LOUIS MISSOURI FIRESTORM 21ST AND LOCUST
By: Diable Fire Date: February 21, 2011, 10:04 am
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HTML http://images116.fotki.com/v107/photos/9/1737549/9412792/28738491E-vi.jpg
HTML http://images59.fotki.com/v112/photos/9/1737549/9412792/28738492E-vi.jpg
HTML http://images112.fotki.com/v494/photos/9/1737549/9412792/28738493E-vi.jpg
HTML http://images58.fotki.com/v511/photos/9/1737549/9412792/28738495E-vi.jpg
#Post#: 177--------------------------------------------------
Re: 1976--ST LOUIS MISSOURI FIRESTORM 21ST AND LOCUST
By: Diable Fire Date: February 21, 2011, 10:07 am
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HTML http://images55.fotki.com/v54/photos/9/1737549/9412792/28738496E-vi.jpg
HTML http://images58.fotki.com/v506/photos/9/1737549/9412792/28738499E-vi.jpg
HTML http://images58.fotki.com/v511/photos/9/1737549/9412792/28738501E-vi.jpg
HTML http://images54.fotki.com/v1594/photos/9/1737549/9412792/28738502E-vi.jpg
#Post#: 178--------------------------------------------------
Re: 1976--ST LOUIS MISSOURI FIRESTORM 21ST AND LOCUST
By: Diable Fire Date: February 21, 2011, 10:09 am
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HTML http://images112.fotki.com/v495/photos/9/1737549/9412792/28738503E-vi.jpg
HTML http://images54.fotki.com/v543/photos/9/1737549/9412792/28738504E-vi.jpg
HTML http://images16.fotki.com/v3/photos/9/1737549/9412792/28738505E-vi.jpg
HTML http://images107.fotki.com/v71/photos/9/1737549/9412792/28738506E-vi.jpg
#Post#: 179--------------------------------------------------
Re: 1976--ST LOUIS MISSOURI FIRESTORM 21ST AND LOCUST
By: Diable Fire Date: February 21, 2011, 10:11 am
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These are the last of my collection. The next couple of posts
are from others collections and I will give them credit for the
posts.
HTML http://images112.fotki.com/v494/photos/9/1737549/9412792/28738507E-vi.jpg
HTML http://images112.fotki.com/v502/photos/9/1737549/9412792/28738508E-vi.jpg
HTML http://images16.fotki.com/v3/photos/9/1737549/9412792/28738509E-vi.jpg
HTML http://images116.fotki.com/v107/photos/9/1737549/9412792/9f_30-vi.jpg
The buildings in this area were all constructed around the turn
of the century and were all at least 76 years old and
constructed of heavy timber and brick. Engine Co 5 was the
second rig to attempt to hook up to a building Stand Pipe and
was able to. Of course it did not do much good when the building
collapsed on it.
I remember this fire very much and my dad came home talking
about. He worked for the MoPac, and for those of you into trains
you know them, him and I talked about that fire and even down
and got as close as the City of St Louis Police Department would
allow us.
During the height of the fire almost every City of St Louis Fire
Department rig was either involved in fighting the fire or
handling hot spots in the surrounding areas. Six department from
the County sent rigs and manpower to cover City Stations and
more were standing by.
If you would like to read the article from Fire Command Mag
please Email me and i will send it to you in pdf format or word
format.
#Post#: 180--------------------------------------------------
Re: 1976--ST LOUIS MISSOURI FIRESTORM 21ST AND LOCUST
By: Diable Fire Date: February 21, 2011, 10:18 am
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The Next Three pictures are from a friend of mine from
Firepics.net who is a Freelance photographer in the St. Louis
Metro Area. They are pictures from his fathers collection that I
have permission to use.
HTML http://images107.fotki.com/v67/photos/9/1737549/9412792/post19660848172001295504674-vi.jpg
HTML http://images109.fotki.com/v128/photos/9/1737549/9412792/post19660966642001295504682-vi.jpg
HTML http://images59.fotki.com/v111/photos/9/1737549/9412792/post19660579315001295504744-vi.jpg
#Post#: 181--------------------------------------------------
Re: 1976--ST LOUIS MISSOURI FIRESTORM 21ST AND LOCUST
By: Diable Fire Date: February 21, 2011, 10:25 am
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This run down of the fire came from a friend of mine on
Firepics.net that is a career firefighter with one of the
departments in the county.
The Rundown and the next few pictures from the collection of
David J. Dubowski
Captain, Spanish Lake E-5110
Outstanding job on the part of Nozz in posting these classis
photos. I was 10 years old and remember my dad talking to the
neighbor about the Friday afternoon fire. I collected all of the
newspaper clippings that weekend of the fire. About 8 years
later when I was getting involved with the FD I asked my mom
where they were. She had thrown them all away.
Here's the response to Box 1356, 20th and Locust. Downtown
companies were just picking up from a 2nd alarm fire at a paint
factory at 21st and Gratiot streets, only about a dozen blocks
south of the firestorm. That's why on the 1st alarm you see
Pumper 4-02. Pumper 4 had relocated to Pumper 2.
1st Alarm @ 4:18 pm
Pumpers 15, 25, 4-02 H&L 13, H&L 2, BC 801, Squad 2
2nd Alarm @ 4:23 pm by orders of 801 who reported "Fire in an 8
story brick, 3 companies will lead off, 2nd alarm"
Pumpers 5, 7, 18 Snorkel 6 BC 802 Gas Truck 1
3rd Alarm @ 4:26 pm by orders of Deputy Chief 810
Pumpers 17, 9, 21 H&L 8
4th and 5th Alarm @ 4:28 by orders of 810
Pumpers 29, 8, 1, 3 Snorkel 5 BC 807 Gas Truck 2
Pumpers 10, 16, 11, 14 H&L 1
Several specials were then called bringing in all of the city's
pumpers and all but 5 of the city's ladders.
Bill Doran was the STLFD's photographer and was on the scene
from the start. In his first photo looking south, you see the
quarters of E-38 and H&L 8 which had closed 5 years earlier. You
can also see the headquartes of the Sporting News Magazine.
#Post#: 182--------------------------------------------------
Re: 1976--ST LOUIS MISSOURI FIRESTORM 21ST AND LOCUST
By: Diable Fire Date: February 21, 2011, 10:31 am
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The following pictures are from the collection of and used with
permission.
David J. Dubowski
Captain, Spanish Lake E-5110
HTML http://images114.fotki.com/v145/photos/9/1737549/9412792/post34270017406001295817905-vi.jpg
HTML http://images56.fotki.com/v124/photos/9/1737549/9412792/post34270088572001295815313-vi.jpg
HTML http://images56.fotki.com/v124/photos/9/1737549/9412792/post34270232936001295815416-vi.jpg
HTML http://images114.fotki.com/v145/photos/9/1737549/9412792/post34270352484001295815509-vi.jpg
#Post#: 183--------------------------------------------------
Re: 1976--ST LOUIS MISSOURI FIRESTORM 21ST AND LOCUST
By: Diable Fire Date: February 21, 2011, 10:58 am
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HTML http://images59.fotki.com/v111/photos/9/1737549/9412792/viewer-vi.png
HTML http://images114.fotki.com/v145/photos/9/1737549/9412792/viewer2-vi.png
HTML http://images112.fotki.com/v503/photos/9/1737549/9412792/viewer3-vi.png
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