WRIGHT PATTERSON - 1961

Photos: U.S. Air Force

Wright-Patterson Firefighter Williams Collins

Photos: Miami Valley Firefighter/EMS Memorial Association

Wright-Patterson Station Chief Dale Kelcher

On Nov. 21, 1961, fire swept a sprawling office building at Wright Paterson Air Force Base, killing two base firefighters. 

Station Chief Dale Kelcher and Firefighter William Collins were last seen entering Building 262-A, headquarters of the Air Force Logistics Command, which took fire at just before midnight Thanksgiving Eve. A backdraft trapped them.

The blaze "reduced a three-story frame building covering nearly the area of a football field to a pile of smoldering charcoal,” according to a newspaper account. 

Firefighters resorted to ground and aerial master streams to battle the blaze and called for mutual aid from neighboring communities.

At a November 2018 memorial, Major Tyler Johnson, commander, 788th Civil Engineer Squadron, said: "They looked danger in the eye and they ran into the flames."

Four days after Kelcher and Collins died, another major fire gutted a building at the air base, between Dayton and Springfield. There were no serious injuries in that blaze.

Two other Wright-Patterson firefighters died in the line of duty. Frank A. Smith perished fighting a fire at a motor pool in 1932 and Harold “Sparky” Sparks suffered a heart attack in 2009, according to Air Force records.

RUNS & WORKERS - PART 5

Image: Columbus Public Library

 

- Post card of 1904 oil field fire in Lima; note proximity of spectators to blaze. Printed on upper left of card: "Greetings from Lima, O."

- On May 6, 1895, The New York Times published a brief dispatch from Springfield entitled "AN OHIO TOWN ON FIRE; New-Carlisle Threatened with Destruction -- Opera House and Other Buildings Burning." New Carlisle requested assistance from Springfield's fire department after the fire broke out May 5, the dispatch said. William Francis Stockstill, 1850-1922, built the theater and moved to Dayton when it "aburned to the ground," according to a family history posted on the web.

- On Dec. 12, 1906, flames broke out at St. Bernard Church on Lagonda Avenue. The fire "for a time threatened the entire structure, but fortunately it was confined to the organ," according to a 1935 history of the parish. "It was much disputed what caused the fire, but it was thought that a candle was left lighted in repairing the organ. The organ was immediately replaced by a larger one."

- On Jan. 16, 1943, Dallas Groce, 43, died in an explosion and fire at the Crowell-Collier Publishing Co. plant. The blast occurred just before noon in the penthouse atop the sixth-floor of the plant west of downtown Springfield, Fire Chief Grover Frock said. Other workers sustained injuries, according to an Associated Press story printed in the Youngstown Vindicator. Chief Frock blamed the explosion on spontaneous combustion. It caused $25,000 in damages.

- On April 4, 1978, a freight train plowed into the Skelgas Co. propane plant in Springfield - forcing the evacuation of homes and businesses by police and firefighters. The derailment was caused by a flatbed truck that collided with the Detroit, Toledo & Ironton train at a grade crossing. The truck was hauling steel rolls. According to news accounts, a quantity of propane gas was released from the Skelgas plant, but there was no fire or explosion, and no one was seriously injured.

On Dec. 12, 1906, flames broke out at St. Bernard Church on Lagonda Avenue. The fire "for a time threatened the entire structure, but fortunately it was confined to the organ," according to a 1935 history of the parish. "It was much disputed what caused the fire, but it was thought that a candle was left lighted in repairing the organ. The organ was immediately replaced by a larger one."

FRIDAY THE 13TH

It as an unlucky 13th for someone. Firefighters battled house fire on West Grand Avenue in Springfield, on Feb. 13, 1981. Hose lines are in attack mode and the roof and rear of the dwelling are laddered. The blaze went to two alarms.

LOGAN CHILDREN'S HOME - 1907

FIRE ATTACKS CHILDREN'S HOME.

Bellefontaine, O., May 15. -- The Logan County Children's Home was totally destroyed by fire. All of the 42 children were saved.The building was a magnificient three-story brick structure, built nearly 20 years ago, but was without fire protection of any kind.

[Van Wert Daily Bulletin Ohio May 15, 1907]

DAYTON OPERA HOUSE - 1869

LOSS BETWEEN $600,000 AND $800,000

HEARTRENDING SCENE.

Dayton, May 16, 1869.

At one o'clock this morning Turner's Opera House, in this city took fire and was entirely destroyed. The building was occupied by McKEE, WOODWARD & WEEKLY, wholesale grocers; BLACK & FOX, wholesale china and queensware; GROVER & BAKER'S Machine Company, a large restaurant and billiard rooms. Nothing was saved but a few sewing machines.

The fine residences east of the Opera House, on First street, of J. SCHWAB, JOEL ESTABROOK and A. KUHERS, were also destroyed. The fire also communicated to the buildings south, on Main street, owned by M. OHMER, which were entirely destroyed, including the large furniture establishment of MR. OHMER and the grocery store of SARDMIER & BROTHER.

HERMAN SARDMIER, of the latter firm, was endeavoring to save some of his goods, when a portion of the wall fell, crushing him to the floor. His brother and several others endeavored to extricate him, but it was impossible. He lived in this condition for a while, when another crash came, burying him in the ruins. His wife and family were present, but no human power could save him.

The scene was heartrending. The loss is estimated at between $600,000 and $800,000, and the insurance about $100,000. It is supposed to be the work of an incendiary. The Opera House was one of the finest in the West, and was owned by J. M. and W. M. TURNER, whose whole loss will be about $250,000 over and above an insurance of $48,000.

[New York Herald - May 17, 1869]