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LAD*18 FORT PITT .
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In the war years audio on you tube they have the audio of the fire that FF Celic (continue RIP)was killed. There was a 4th in midtown already for a large dock fire when the fire that killed FF Celic was transmitted by the officer stating they had a fire at The Bare Minimums at Av C and to send help. The tone of the officers voice tells of the conditions that went from bad to horrific when he tells MD of the members being trapped and having severely hurt members and to send EMS forth with. The dispatcher told him he had help coming even though there was heavy fire activity in the Boro at that time. That went to a 4th as well. Prior to this fire MD was calling for any available company below 14 th Street and that they had no available companies for other fires in Manhattan at the time
Thanks for posting Ladder 18 site pictures Chief. Engine 18 and Squad 5 were located with Ladder 18 and Bn 4 on Broome Street and were very busy and very good units.
Mart Celic, Ladder 18, was working OT in Engine 15 when they picked up that tenement fire on the top floor. The stairs were set on fire below them by kids and they were trapped on the top floor. Everyone dove for Ladder 18's bucket but Marty missed in the heavy smoke. Great guy lost. Hate to say that the neighbors watching actually cheered when he fell. A sad indication of the times in Alphabet City, Lower East Side, in the 1970s, same place POs Rocco Laurie and Greg Foster were ambushed a few years earlier.
Marty top row, 2nd from left.
Mart Celic, Ladder 18, was working OT in Engine 15 when they picked up that tenement fire on the top floor. The stairs were set on fire below them by kids and they were trapped on the top floor. Everyone dove for Ladder 18's bucket but Marty missed in the heavy smoke. Great guy lost. Hate to say that the neighbors watching actually cheered when he fell. A sad indication of the times in Alphabet City, Lower East Side, in the 1970s, same place POs Rocco Laurie and Greg Foster were ambushed a few years earlier.
Marty top row, 2nd from left.
As with so many of our tragic LODD's over the years, fate played a role in Marty's death. As has been mentioned, there was a multiple going on for a pier fire on the West Side. Engine 28's rig had a flat tire...and so they were OOS. When the box came in...initially for rubbish in a vacant, top floor on 8th Street...15 Engine was special called instead of 28...normally first due at that location. 15 stretched up the fire escape since the interior was shot...few, if any, interior stairs. The arsonist had doused the lower floors with diesel...waited till the line was stretched above...then torched the lower floors. Needless to say, chaos ensued. But when the box was transmitted, no notification was made to 2nd Street and Ladder 11...first due truck. Only when the guys heard the Dept radio and saw L18 go by on Avenue C did they realize a box was transmitted. 18 had their bucket up to the top floor fire escape....11 their aerial...both completely blind due to heavy smoke. And again, as has been mentioned, members dove out onto 18's bucket. Unfortunately, Marty came up short and fell to his ultimate death. Horrible fate for a terrific young man and fireman.
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FORT PITT ......SOME NYPD RECOLLECTIONS..... https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/theerant/i-took-a-google-tour-of-the-7-pct-t123431.html
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Marty Celic and I were assigned, as firefighters, to Tower Ladder 18 about the same time, in early 1977. I was Laid Off from July 1, 1975, till March 1976 and when I was reinstated, I was assigned to Ladder 11 as part of the H.U.D. =Housing and Urban Development's Fire Salvage program, in order to get my reinstatement federally funded. In March of 1977 I was transferred to T.L.-18. That was the same time Marty Celic got transferred into TL-18 from L-15. Naturally Marty and I became friends, and often worked together when either of us worked Overtime or a Mutual exchange of Tours. T.L.-18 was at that time one of the busiest Ladder Companies in the FDNY and the World. My 1st year in TL-18 I believe we had over 6,800 Runs and lot of structural fire duty, in both occupied and vacant, buildings. We commonly were assigned to major fires in Brooklyn as our Lower East Side, Manhattan firehouse was located right next to the Williamsburg Bridge that connect Manhattan to Williamsburg, Brooklyn.
I was off the day Marty was killed while Marty was working overtime, in Engine 15. A day or so later we went to the scene of the fire on 8th Street where Marty had been killed. When we looked at the front fire escape, we noticed that the fire escape ladder steps leading up to the top floor fire escape, landing was broken on one side. The weld or rivets attaching the step to the side of the stringer had rusted through. I still feel the reason Marty missed the Tower Ladder Basket was as he tried to go from the fire escape to the T.L. Basket the step below his foot gave way, causing him to miss the basket. Brothers and sisters next time you are looking at the fire escapes in your area, take note of the condition, of the steps etc. If you see they need any repair or even a coat paint let someone know and take what actions, you can to ensure, the Fire Escapes are structurally safe for civilians and us firefighters. Photo
of members of E-17, TL-18 & Batt. 4 in 1978
Captain Bob Rainey FDNY Engine 26 retired
I was off the day Marty was killed while Marty was working overtime, in Engine 15. A day or so later we went to the scene of the fire on 8th Street where Marty had been killed. When we looked at the front fire escape, we noticed that the fire escape ladder steps leading up to the top floor fire escape, landing was broken on one side. The weld or rivets attaching the step to the side of the stringer had rusted through. I still feel the reason Marty missed the Tower Ladder Basket was as he tried to go from the fire escape to the T.L. Basket the step below his foot gave way, causing him to miss the basket. Brothers and sisters next time you are looking at the fire escapes in your area, take note of the condition, of the steps etc. If you see they need any repair or even a coat paint let someone know and take what actions, you can to ensure, the Fire Escapes are structurally safe for civilians and us firefighters. Photo
of members of E-17, TL-18 & Batt. 4 in 1978Captain Bob Rainey FDNY Engine 26 retired
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Mike Barons tells the story on a gettin salty podcast.
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Mike Baron is a great guy and a great fireman. One of the best and had the honor of working with Mike for most of my years in Tower Ladder 18, after I got promoted to Lieutenant and was sent to the South Bronx, Mike was transferred to Rescue. Mike was decorated for making acts of bravery many times, including the rescue of a "Hard Hat Diver" trapped between a steel reinforced large concrete piling and concrete Pier, with Rescue 5 in Saten Island.
Captain Bob Rainey FDNY Engine 26 Retired.
Captain Bob Rainey FDNY Engine 26 Retired.
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I asked if he worked the infinity disco fire between Broadway and Mercer, he didn’t. Valentines light 1979
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Why was the Broome Street house closed and vacated?
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They built a dual firehouse police station a block away. The blocks around the old firehouse on broome were eminent domained by the city, and remained vacant until just a few years ago.
I asked in another forum but did not see an answer, were the Delancey St side bays ever occupied? Back in the very early 2000's there was talk of moving ESU Truck 1 there.
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The old fire house on Broom Street was used at times, by the "P.A.L." =Police Athletic League, but generally was unused when I was assigned to
Tower ladder 18 from March 1977 to my promotion to Lieutenant in Oct. of 1984. As far as I remember the side bays on Delancy Street were only used to parking a few high-ranking police commanders etc. I never saw a E.S.U. Unit there. Once a N.Y.P.D. bus parked outside next to the Williamsburg Bridge was firebombed but I am not sure if it was firebombed there or was towed there after it was firebombed somewhere else.
I was not a happy place in those years.
Captain Bob Rainey FDNY Engine 26 retired
Tower ladder 18 from March 1977 to my promotion to Lieutenant in Oct. of 1984. As far as I remember the side bays on Delancy Street were only used to parking a few high-ranking police commanders etc. I never saw a E.S.U. Unit there. Once a N.Y.P.D. bus parked outside next to the Williamsburg Bridge was firebombed but I am not sure if it was firebombed there or was towed there after it was firebombed somewhere else.
I was not a happy place in those years.
Captain Bob Rainey FDNY Engine 26 retired