FDNY and NYC Firehouses and Fire Companies - 2nd Section

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At the Jamaica Gas Fire described in reply # 4039 on the previous page.....ENG*303 & LAD*126 normally 1st Due ( FH a few blocks away) were on another Run initially....... ENG*298 & LAD*127 arrived downwind & the Rigs were therefore enveloped in the gas plume on ignition....the Fire went to Thirteen Alarms.
 

mack

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Gas Leak: 13 Alarm Explosion & Fire in 1967​

Attached is an outstanding account on what started as a “gas leak”….
Once again it’s another reminder of the “gas leak” and what it CAN (and has!) become for us as firefighters.

REMINDER: When turning out for a reported gas leak, follow your FD policy (initial alarm response, levels of staging, size up, levels of operations, additional apparatus staging, area/neighborhood size up, equipment, use of law enforcement etc), Take the run very seriously and even if you don’t initially find anything-keep looking…multiple meters, check every crack and crevice, respond the gas company to assist etc…after all, we were called because someone smelled something. Don’t blow it off.

There is no rush to leave or return to quarters-do a thorough and professional check so that when you do return, you (and the occupants) are confident that the problem was determined and solved.


On January 13, 1967 a gas explosion at 0530 hours occurred in the South Jamaica section of Queens, New York. Although the blast and ensuing blaze demolished nine houses and badly damaged eight others plus garages and shops, hundreds of persons were evacuated without a single casualty. Only two NYPD policemen and an FDNY Firefighter suffered minor injuries. I remember this incident as a 12 year old kid living on Long Island at the time….but I wasn’t allowed to ride my bike to the scene. Dammit.
Thanks to FDNY DC Jay Jonas for this excellent report!


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mack

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Amazing - no fatalities with explosion. Four city blocks were involved in fire. There were hundreds of people evacuated and there were no civilian injuries. There were two NYPD Police Officers and one Firefighter that had minor injuries. Rigs stalled out prior to explosion.
 

mack

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mack

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At the Jamaica Gas Fire described in reply # 4039 on the previous page.....ENG*303 & LAD*126 normally 1st Due ( FH a few blocks away) were on another Run initially....... ENG*298 & LAD*127 arrived downwind & the Rigs were therefore enveloped in the gas plume on ignition....the Fire went to Thirteen Alarms.



At 0517 hours, there was an alarm transmitted for Queens Box 8803. At 0519 hours, another Queens box was transmitted for box 4758 located at 101st Avenue and Cresskill Place. This box was about ¾ mile from box 8803. Engine 298 (normally assigned 3rd due) and Ladder 127 (normally assigned 2nd due) would be assigned first due to box 4758.
 
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There's a great color picture in John Calderone's ALF Tiller book of L127 after the fire when it was being removed.
 
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FDNY SCALING LADDER RESCUES


JAMUARY 5, 1961 - BROOKLYN BOX 688 - ENGINE 217


View attachment 12121
Recent New York scaling ladder operation

—Photo and report by Alex Donchin

MEMBERS OF FDNY Engine Company 217, stationed in Brooklyn, employed a scaling ladder in a rescue attempt on January 5, upon responding to Box 688 for a blaze in a tenement at 856 DeKalb Avenue shortly after 11:15 p.m. Fire on the third floor of the building sent heat and smoke up the interior stairways and heavily charged the upper floor. A 14-year-old girl, Ada Cordona, alone in a top-floor flat was trapped and forced to hang from a window, supporting herself on an ornamental ledge, to escape the heat and smoke. The officer in charge of Engine 217, first due, realized that the location was equidistant from the two responding truck companies and as a safety measure, ordered an immediate “pompier” ladder rescue operation.


View attachment 12122

Scaling ladder effort replaced by arrival of ladder company. Woman was rescued by aerial ladder.
 
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FDNY SCALING LADDER RESCUES


JAMUARY 5, 1961 - BROOKLYN BOX 688 - ENGINE 217


View attachment 12121
Recent New York scaling ladder operation

—Photo and report by Alex Donchin

MEMBERS OF FDNY Engine Company 217, stationed in Brooklyn, employed a scaling ladder in a rescue attempt on January 5, upon responding to Box 688 for a blaze in a tenement at 856 DeKalb Avenue shortly after 11:15 p.m. Fire on the third floor of the building sent heat and smoke up the interior stairways and heavily charged the upper floor. A 14-year-old girl, Ada Cordona, alone in a top-floor flat was trapped and forced to hang from a window, supporting herself on an ornamental ledge, to escape the heat and smoke. The officer in charge of Engine 217, first due, realized that the location was equidistant from the two responding truck companies and as a safety measure, ordered an immediate “pompier” ladder rescue operation.


View attachment 12122

Scaling ladder effort replaced by arrival of ladder company. Woman was rescued by aerial ladder.
This was my father Harry Prie. Thank you for sharing these pictures. He died in 1993 @ the age of 56. He loved being a fireman. He always spoke of the importance of the Pompier ladder. He always spoke of Al Donchin and his amazing photos.
 
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^^^^ In the above photo of 256 ( right across DeKalb Ave from the BKLYN Hosp E.R. ) to the right of the FH a Drugstore still exists & to the left on Fort Green Place (corner visible ) is BKLYN Tech HS ....256 was disbanded in 1974...around 1979 the old FH was sold to Spike Lee for $125,000.......he did a lot of renovating to it but a few years ago he was asking 4 Million for it.
 
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^^^^ In the above photo of 256 ( right across DeKalb Ave from the BKLYN Hosp E.R. ) to the right of the FH a Drugstore still exists & to the left on Fort Green Place (corner visible ) is BKLYN Tech HS ....256 was disbanded in 1974...around 1979 the old FH was sold to Spike Lee for $125,000.......he did a lot of renovating to it but a few years ago he was asking 4 Million for it.

Sold for 4.7 Million
 

mack

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Engine 256 firehouse design:

E 256 plans.jpg




Engine 56, Brooklyn Fire Department, was planned but never organized, by the City of Brooklyn. It was organized as FDNY Engine 156 in the BFD Water Tower 1 firehouse (also former firehouse of Brooklyn Volunteer Engine 5) at 124 DeKalb Avenue and the Water Tower was relocated to Jay Street Fire Headquarters. It was renumbered Engine 256 in 1913. The FDNY firehouse at 124 DeKalb Avenue was built in 1914. Engine 256 was disbanded in 1974. Gone but not forgotten.


ENGINE 256 BROOKLYN ORGANIZED AS ENGINE 156 ORG. 124 Dekalb Ave. FQ Tow-1 (Jul. 19, 1903) RELOC. 136 St. Edwards St. At Horse Hosp (1910) CHANGE To Engine 256 (Jan. 1, 1913) NQTRS. 124 Dekalb Ave. (Mar. 25, 1914) DISB. (Dec. 16, 1974)



Water Tower.jpg

E 156.jpg
 

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