319 McKibbins 5th alarm factory fire

[DaveReinstein]

1/14/1991, fire in 4 interconnected buildings that occupied an entire city block in Williamsburg. They had a small fire in the oil burner room a few days before and the officer of 237 planned to do a quick walkthrough of the factory but before that could happen, the 5th alarm occurred. Only one current building remains of the 4, and the rest of the property is storage. Rescue 2 found a night watchman locked in one of the buildings that was lighting up, and was able to remove him.

 

[DaveReinstein]

 

[DaveReinstein]

Picture of the 100 foot Stuphin working on exposure 3 which eventually became exposure 1

 

[DaveReinstein]

 

[DaveReinstein]

Exposure 2 side of the original fire building. The fire spread also to all other
Other exposures except besides a little in exposure 4

 

[DaveReinstein]

Last remaining building on the property

 

[DaveReinstein]

Overhead view . I have the job in two separate DVD’s. Incredible job

 

[Lt. Q]

Your correct, what an incredible fire that was. I worked that job and watched it go into building to building.

 

[nfd2004]

I remember seeing another big job like this in Williamsburg.

I think that one was on Waverly Place (?) and Ladder 108 (?) was using it's ladder pipe.
Something that I hadn't seen very often with the increased usage of Tower Ladders.

 

[DaveReinstein]

I remember seeing another big job like this in Williamsburg.

I think that one was on Waverly Place (?) and Ladder 108 (?) was using it's ladder pipe.
Something that I hadn't seen very often with the increased usage of Tower Ladders.

10-10-79 Brooklyn 5 Alarm Fire - Plastic Factory - Steven Spak

I was working with my friend Garrett Lindgren at the EMS Communications Center in Maspeth, Queens. We were Ambulance Dispatchers working the 8:00 am to 4:00 pm day tour. That day we were working the Brooklyn board. I had my 4 Channel with crystals, Sonar pocket scanner. When working, I had the...

stevenspak.smugmug.com

this is that job

 

[DaveReinstein]

Your correct, what an incredible fire that was. I worked that job and watched it go into building to building.

Yep! Luckily the jobs on video, and the recording started before the fire spread into the other two buildings. There is an article in WNYF about this job which I was fortunate enough to read.

 

[1261Truckie]

The WNYF article is in the 3rd Issue of 1991.

In that article Captain Ray Downey (RIP) of Rescue 2 is quoted as saying "It certainly was the largest amount of fire in many a year"

 

[nfd2004]

10-10-79 Brooklyn 5 Alarm Fire - Plastic Factory - Steven Spak

I was working with my friend Garrett Lindgren at the EMS Communications Center in Maspeth, Queens. We were Ambulance Dispatchers working the 8:00 am to 4:00 pm day tour. That day we were working the Brooklyn board. I had my 4 Channel with crystals, Sonar pocket scanner. When working, I had the...

stevenspak.smugmug.com

this is that job

YES, "DaveReinstein", that IS the job that I was referring to.
Waverly between Fulton and Atlantic.

I didn't realize it goes back to 1979 though.

Thank you.

The WNYF article is in the 3rd Issue of 1991.

In that article Captain Ray Downey (RIP) of Rescue 2 is quoted as saying "It certainly was the largest amount of fire in many a year"

And as "1261Truckie" says here, according to the late Captain Ray Downey: "It was certainly the largest amount of fire in many a year".
I guess with that said by Captain Ray Downey, a well seasoned member of the FDNY War Years, it certainly ranked among the TOP when it came to Big Jobs in NYC..

 

[1261Truckie]

"YES, "DaveReinstein", that IS the job that I was referring to. Waverly between Fulton and Atlantic."

Al Donchin (RIP) also had some really good photos of this job in his book "First Due". Good work by Rescue 2 on 132's aerial.

 

[DaveReinstein]

YES, "DaveReinstein", that IS the job that I was referring to.
Waverly between Fulton and Atlantic.

I didn't realize it goes back to 1979 though.

Thank you.



And as "1261Truckie" says here, according to the late Captain Ray Downey: "It was certainly the largest amount of fire in many a year".
I guess with that said by Captain Ray Downey, a well seasoned member of the FDNY War Years, it certainly ranked among the TOP when it came to Big Jobs in NYC..

I remember reading somewhere that it was a factory and perhaps magnesium caught fire on the loading dock and extended upstairs. They had a worker trapped on the top floor but were unable to get there in time. The building is still there, just extensively renovated.

 

[216+108 Ret.]

Yep! Luckily the jobs on video, and the recording started before the fire spread into the other two buildings. There is an article in WNYF about this job which I was fortunate enough to read.

Any information about the video and if it’s available to view? I was working with L108 and we were 1st due. It would be great to see it.

 

[DaveReinstein]

Any information about the video and if it’s available to view? I was working with L108 and we were 1st due. It would be great to see it.

The job can be seen on Steve spaks “biggest blazes” DVD, and Fireline’s “fires from the past” (lots of jobs from the 1990’s)

on that same fire line dvd, they have a factory job off of Kent right by the entrance to the navy yard. It was a factory in the water that collapsed, it was maybe a block from 119

 

[DaveReinstein]

Any information about the video and if it’s available to view? I was working with L108 and we were 1st due. It would be great to see it.

I found the video. Fast forward around 20 minutes