Below is an excerpt from DC Jonas' D7 Newsletter from March 2016 regarding the LODD fire at 461 Broadway on 11/18/1960:
463 Broadway was a 5-story loft building at the corner of Broadway and Grand St. The dimensions were 110’ x 160’. The fire building was a textile factory with many wholesale textile firms as tenants within the building. Exposure 3 was a 5-story loft building at 112-114 Grand St. Exposure 4 was another 5-story loft building at 469 Broadway and Exposure 4A was a 5-story loft building at 471 Broadway.
E31 was commanded by Lt. John A. McDermott. He saw that the fire was located in the cellar of 463 Broadway. The cellar was rented by the tenant of the first floor and it contained large bolts of textiles. There was a heavy smoke condition coming from the cellar. Lt. McDermott found the stairway that led to the cellar. It was only 3½ feet wide. Two feet of the width of the cellar stairs was covered with a hinged wooden chute. The hinged wooden chute was in place to aid the first floor tenant in moving stock. This hampered access and egress to the cellar. Lt. McDermott had the chute raised out of the way. He ordered his unit to stretch a 2½ inch hand line into the cellar. On the nozzle was Fr. Francis J. Sammon, E31.
Squad 8 responded from their quarters on 243 Lafayette St. When Sq8 arrived at the fire, BC Anderson ordered them to enter the cellar and assist E31 on the hose line. Entering the cellar from Sq8 was Capt. Howie Borden, Fr. Royal Fox, Fr. Robert Barnickle and Fr. John C. Cosner. Historical Note: In 1960, Engine Companies had only two SCBA. Squad Companies had 6 SCBAs, and Rescue Companies had 6 SCBAs.
E31 and Sq8 were searching for the source of the fire. The cellar was heavily charged with smoke and heat. The large bolts of textiles were hampering the operations in the cellar and, as it turns out, was providing a fuel source for the expanding fire. Capt. Borden Sq8 went up the stairs to the first floor to give BC Anderson a report of the high heat and heavy smoke condition in the cellar.
The Firefighters working in the cellar were experiencing punishing conditions. They continued to search for the location of the fire. Although the source of the fire eluded them, the heat was extreme. When water from the hose was played upon the walls of the cellar, it turned to steam.
Lt McDermott E31 and the other 4 Firefighters in the cellar decided to evacuate their position in the cellar. They all headed for the stairway. Fr. Barnickle of Sq8 was the first to hit the stairway. His head reached the ceiling level of the cellar when the opening erupted in flame. He stumbled backward. Behind him was Fr. Royal Fox of Sq8. Fr. Fox pushed Fr. Barnickle back up the stairs. They both pushed through a wall of fire to make it to the first he first floor and it contained large bolts of textiles. There was a heavy floor. Every part of their bodies that was not covered by their SCBA mask or their turnout gear was burned.
As second alarm units arrived at the fire at 463 Broadway, they saw Fr. Barnickle and Fr. Fox staggered by burn injuries they received in their climb to the first floor. Firefighters Barnickle and Fox thought that the other three Firefighters in the cellar were behind them. They were not. The two burned Firefighters were immediately transported to nearby Bellevue Hospital.
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Lieut. John A. McDermott of Engine Co. 31 was 34 years old. He left behind a wife and six children. Fr. Francis J. Sammon of Engine Co. 31 was 34 years old. He was a former Police Officer with the NYPD and had been a member of the FDNY for two years. He left behind a wife. Fr. John C. Cosner of Squad Co. 8 was 25 years old and was a member of the FDNY for only 13 months. He left behind a wife and a 5-week old daughter. May they all rest in peace. Never forget!
