FDNY LT RICHARD MACCLAVE E 46 LODD 11/26/1957

[mack]

FDNY Line of Duty Death​

November 26, 1957 - LODD
Lieutenant Richard MacClave, 47
Engine 46
FDNY. Bronx, New York






Lieutenant MacClave died of smoke inhalation while operating at a two - alarm fire.


Lieutenant Richard MacClave, forty-seven years old, was overcome by smoke while operating at 4035 Park Avenue. The two-alarm fire was in a third floor apartment. An eleven-year boy was home alone and making breakfast. After breakfast he was watching television and heard glass breaking. He went into the kitchen and found it in flames. The alarm was turned in and Engine 46 was first due to the box. Lieutenant MacClave was directing his men when he collapsed from the effects of the smoke. He was brought outside and attempts to revive him were unsuccessful. He lived at 2710 Bainbridge Avenue and was the father of four children. He was a member of the Fire Department since September 1, 1937. (From "The Last Alarm" by Boucher, Urbanowicz & Melahn, 2007)






RIP. Never forget.

 

[mack]

 

[3511]

I believe it was in the fall of 1958 that a new kid showed up in my class at our lady of refuge grammar school. His name was Richie MacClave. A nice, quiet kid, I befriended him and then found out that his father was an LODD firefighter.

My father later informed me that he knew LT MacClave as they were both officers in the same 18th Battalion and he and his company were at the Park Ave fire as well. He explained that the members of E46 were using masks, which were new and their use controversial at the time. The consensus opinion was that 46 got themselves in too far, and mask or not, got too much smoke. My dad further explained that the masks obscured the ability of the officer to feel extreme heat on his nose and/or earlobes, the common signal to back out. My dad worked with Lt MacClave both in Harlem as well as the Bronx and MacClave was known to be an excellent and experienced officer. My dad was against the use of masks, refused to use them, and blamed them for the demise of Lt McClave.

Of course my old man was real "Old school". He didn't like it either when the radio communication system was implemented because he thought that dispatchers would start to tell him how to do his job.

I don't know what happened to Richie McClave as I think the family moved on. If by chance he's on this forum I'd enjoy a reconnect.

MacClave and my dad were the same age, same battalion, same rank...circumstances not lost on this 10 year old boy. It was the second time in a year, after the loss of E48s LT John Molloy on 3d Ave, that I had to confront this situation. He also lived in my neighborhood and had a boy of the same age.