23 rd St fire

66-55-589, Continued Rest in Peace to the 12,

  • Deputy Chief Thomas A. Reilly, FDNY 3rd Division
  • Battalion Chief Walter J. Higgins, FDNY 7th Battalion
  • Lt. John J. Finley, FDNY Ladder Co. 7
  • Lt. Joseph Priore, FDNY Engine Co. 18
  • Firefighter John G. Berry, FDNY Ladder Co. 7
  • Firefighter James V. Galanaugh, FDNY Engine Co. 18
  • Firefighter Rudolph F. Kaminsky, FDNY Ladder Co. 7
  • Firefighter Joseph Kelly, FDNY Engine Co. 18
  • Firefighter Carl Lee, FDNY Ladder Co. 7
  • Firefighter William F. McCarron, FDNY 3rd Division
  • Firefighter Daniel L. Rey, FDNY Engine Co. 18
  • Firefighter Bernard A. Tepper, FDNY Engine Co. 18
 
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New York City Fire Department (FDNY)​

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42-year-old Lieutenant Joseph Priore of Engine 18 was killed in the 23rd Street Fire leaving behind a wife of five years, a 3-year-old daughter, a 2-year-old daughter, and six-month old Christine Priore. Lieutenant Priore was operating in the rear of the Wonder Drug store when the floor collapsed due to the fire roaring in the cellar beneath him and the other Firefighters. Sixteen years later, Christine’s mother passed away and it was only then that Christine learned more about her father when she went through her mother’s belongings. "Up until then, I didn't know anything about him. She never spoke about [the fire] to me,” says Christine. Though Christine Priore used to come into Manhattan and visit the 23rd Street Fire plaque it wasn’t until she was 35 and visiting the site with a friend that her life changed forever. “I saw Firefighters who had just come from a job standing in a half-circle around the plaque. I just kind of walked up quietly with my friend and stood there for a moment. They looked up at me and said hello. I smiled and asked, ‘Did any of you guys know these guys?’ while pointing to the names on the plaque. They replied no but started talking a little bit about the fire. They asked who I was, and I replied, ‘Oh, that's my dad,’ while pointing to my father's name,” says Christine. They were shocked and asked her many questions, though she didn’t know much about her father. The Firefighters immediately put the women up on their rig, and then took them to their firehouse, Squad 18, on West 10th Street in Manhattan. “It was one of the craziest moments in my life because Squad 18 was where my father was a Lieutenant. It was very surreal and I felt like I was walking into my father's house and into his life for the first time. The Firefighters told me, ‘You're family now and you've got somebody to take care of you,’” says Christine. She said she was overwhelmed with emotions that day that she was “adopted” into the Department family.
 
I was a Buff in FDNY Ladder 3 and was at the L-3 firehouse on E-13st. when L-3 responded to box 598. They knew me so I was able to stay in the firehouse as L-3 and Batt. 6 responded. I went to the housewatch and heard that that Box 598 was a "Job", So I got into my car and drove to W.23 St. and Broadway. When I arrived, heavy smoke was drifting out of the Wonder Drug Wholesale Store on the W. 23 St. side of the fire building.
I think a 2nd Alarm had already been transmitted at this point. Suddenly a large amount of smoke and dust under pressure pushed out halfway across W. 23 St. Soon after members of Ladder 3, I knew, and some members of (I think Engine 5), came scrambling out of the sidewalk cellar entrance, on W. 23 St... Some had no fire helmets and had their hair smoking. One L-3 member said to me "There are guys trapped!" I helped the injured that I could to EMS, but some just went and tried to get back into the building to save their trapped brother firemen. Soon fire could be seen in the windows spreading up into the building. Additional Multiple alarms were quickly transmitted and special call for addition Rescue Companies and I think Squads. As the hours passed the extent of the loss became known and everyone knew that 12 Firemen had been lost. including a Deputy Chief and Battalion Chief and 10 Company Officers and firemen. I stayed on the scene until mid-morning the next day and sadly remember the widows aguish, at the scene. I always wanted to be an FDNY firemen (Term at the time was Firemen) but the caring and unselfish desire to save their trapped brothers that night on W. 23 St. on 10-17-66. After my time in the Navy, I was appointed to the FDNY Jan. 27, 1973.
May we all remember the brothers lost in `before and after 1966, and those lost on 9-11-01. Captain Bon Rainey FDNY Engine 26 retired.
 
For the Assignment for the 23 St. Fire & Collapse see WNYF Magazine.1967. Note young firefighters - NO FAST teams existed in the FDNY at that time, the Rescue Companies were started in early 1910s to rescue trapped firemen. At the 23 St. Fire some members of Rescue Co. 1 were trapped in the Cellar, on the West 22 St. end of the fire building, but they were safely removed. Also, many other firemen who were operating on the roof of the fire building just missed being tapped when parts of the roof collapsed. A member of the Insurance Fire Patrol knew the building and was able to draw a diagram that helped locate the 12 lost members. My friend retired Deputy Chief Jay Jonas Division 7 wrote and excellent article on this fire as part of his Division 7 Health and Training Newsletter. Captain Bob Rainey FDNY Engine 26 retired,
 
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