Video: 1960-Plane Crash in Park Slope & U.S.S. Constellation Navy Yard Fire

[guitarman314]

 

[R1SmokeEater]

Great footage of 2 historic FDNY events !

 

[firebuffkevin]

This really brings back memories. I was a high school student at Bishop Loughlin HS on Greene and Vanderbilt.  We heard the plane crash. After school I took a bus over to the crash site. I remember seeing the tail with United on it.  The plane it colloded with a TWA - crashed on Staten Island.

I remember the Constellation fire too. We were aboult 6- 10 blocks from the Navy Yard. All day we heard fire engins up and down Vanderbilt.  I walked down to the scene after school. Two major problems withing days of each other.

Thanks for the video and memories

 

[johnd248]

As I remember it, the same groups caught both jobs.  The companies that responded to one responded to the other, just in different order.  The guys were wiped out from these events.

 

[raybrag]

Great video.  It was really ironic that the church which was hit by the falling plane was the "Pillar of Fire" church.  I had forgotten that at the time, there were still a bunch of knee-length turnout coats with no reflective stripes in use in FDNY. Like Kevin, I was at the crash site after school, too (I was a sophomore @ St Francis College on Butler St., right next to the old 82nd Precinct).  It was REALLY strange to see the tail of that plane sitting in the street.  I also remember many open-cab Ward La-France engines parked all over the place.  How many of you fossils recognized Hizzonner the mayor in the video?  Trivia question:  WHO was he (I know)?  The Constellation fire was really bad, too.  Two huge jobs in one week.

 

[johnd248]

Mayor is Robert Wagner, but more importantly the new announcer on the plane video is the great Gabe Pressman of Channel 4.

 

[raybrag]

You win the great golden Kewpie doll! ;D

 

[efd274]

And the Fire Comm was Edward Cavanaugh.  Gabe Pressman said the five alarmer involved 31 Engine Companies, 6 ladders, 3 rescues and 4 special units. It seems like a low number of ladder companies but back in those days you got typically two ladders on the first alarm and one on each subsequent alarm.  Any thoughts on this ? If anybody has a rundown they are really good - perhaps the Guitarman has a the rundown card for this box or a nearby box - would like to see that!!

 

[firebuffkevin]

I was at both incidents (after school, of course).  To bad I didn't list the companies on an index card!

 

[efd274]

The index card wouldn't have been big enough!  I'm still hoping someone like the guitarman has an old run card even for a nearby box.  It would be interesting to see - particularly the number of companies that are no longer in service

 

[johnd248]

There is a good chance the first due engine was E 269, long since replaced by Squad 1, following a brief absence.

 

[guitarman314]

The index card wouldn't have been big enough!  I'm still hoping someone like the guitarman has an old run card even for a nearby box.  It would be interesting to see - particularly the number of companies that are no longer in service

  I looked up the incident in the Winter 1961 (1st) issue of WNYF magazine. It states that the box number was 1231 at Flatbush & 8th Ave. with a 1st alarm assignment of E269, 280, 219, L105 & 132 and BC48. Today's assignment is Sq1 [only assigned because they're 1st due], E219 [new firehouse w/L105 is closer], E280, L105, L132 and BC31. As far as assignment cards go, the closest card I have is for Box 1258 at 7th Ave. & Garfield Pl. which is about 7 blocks south. The card is dated 11-16-54 so it should be period correct

 

[efd274]

Guitarman - thank you - you are the man!!!

 

[nfd2004]

gutarman314, you sure know you"re stuff. Glad your back from your boat ride.

 

[guitarman314]

  The box for the Constellation fire was #308 at Kent Ave. & Clymer with a 1st alarm response of E211, 221, 209, L119 & L104. After the 5th a 2nd Alarm Boro Call was sounded for Manhattan box 277 (Clinton & Delancey Sts.) to respond to Bklyn box 308 followed later on with a 5th Alarm Boro Call response from Manhattan box 277 to Bklyn box 308. In the Brooklyn Navy Yard fire article I see that the following companies responded to both disasters: Engines 7, 9, 15, 17, 31, 55, 207, 210, 219, 235, Ladder 102, BC31, and Rescues 1, 2 & 4.

 

[firebuffkevin]

All the discussion seems to be on the Constellation and the United crash in Park Slope.  Don't forget United collided with a TWA Constellation. That aircraft went down in New Dorp Staten Island.

http://www.silive.com/news/index.ssf/2009/01/a_horrific_plane_crash_over_st.html and:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1960_New_York_air_disasterand from You Tube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjBDzNgSH1c

It would be great to get some info on the Staten Island FDNY response

 

[efd274]

Don't tell me you forgot your index card!!

 

[guitarman314]

  I don't have any Staten Island assignment cards for the New Dorp or Dongan Hills areas but I just read a report that states that box 2047 at Lincoln Avenue & Baden Pl. was struck for this job. That would've put E165 & L85 (which were just organized on 6/18/1960), followed by E159, E161 & L81. Six months earlier E159 & L81 would've been 1st due and E161, E162 & L82 would have followed.

 

[guitarman314]

  Searching through my old papers I found a handwritten rundown for Brooklyn box 1231.

 

[efd274]

Guitarman - Thank you -you are amazing!