Fire Buffs promote the general welfare of the fire and rescue service and protect its heritage and history. Famous Fire Buffs through the years include New York Fire Surgeon Harry Archer, Boston Pops Conductor Arthur Fiedler, New York Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia and - legend has it - President George Washington.


Saturday, August 20, 2016

1900s





Scenes from fire at East Street Shops - 1902

Springfield, Ohio
  • Hamma School of Theology fire, Wittenberg College - Dec. 28, 1900. Firefighters rescued three students. [Washington Times]
  • E.W. Ross Shop fire - Jan. 14, 1901
  • Congregational Church fire - Jan. 22, 1901
  • East Street Shops fire (East St  and Kenton St) - Feb. 10, 1902. Box 63, general alarm. Largest fire in Springfield's history. Crews hampered by inadequate water pressure, antiquated fire apparatus. Firemen jumped from building as timber supports gave way.  Employees of the Indianapolis Switch and Frog Co. saved their factory by dynamiting walls. Blaze apparently started by chemicals.  [Roberds, New York Times,  Wittenberg History Journal]  
  • Black’s Opera House fire (Main and Fountain) - Feb. 19, 1903. Box 12, general alarm. Wall collapsed, killing three people. Several firefighters injured. YMCA building damaged.  [Roberds, Springfield Press Republic, Washington Post] 
  • Riots after slaying of police officer - March 6, 1904
  • Methodist Campground Hotel fire - Aug. 5, 1904
  • Methodist Campground fire ("All") - Nov. 17, 1904
  • Riots on Columbia Street & Levee. Levee burned. - March 7-8, 1906
  • Springfield police, with aid of fire department ladders, raided gambling saloon; scaled the walls of the five-story building and arrested 31 men who had taken refuge on roof - Feb. 10, 1907. [Sacramento Union]
  • Indianapolis Frog and Switch factory fire - April 23-23, 1907. Box 163, general alarm.  Possibly caused by natural gas leak. Building had survived East Street shops fire in 1902. Owned Charles Warren Fairbanks, vice president of United States in administration of Theodore Roosevelt. [Springfield Gazette, New York Times]
  • Freedom Oil & 4 houses burned (Fountain and Rockway) - Aug. 26, 1907
  • Barn & 5 Houses burned (Clifton and Vine) - Sept. 19, 1907
  • Cartmell Bldg. Fire (Main and Center) - Sept. 7, 1908
  • Wickham-Chapman Piano Co. fire (Sheridan Ave) - Sept. 26, 1908
  • C.C. Fried & Sons Co. fire (6 E. Main St) February 29, 1909