| April 1783 |
The Wooden State House |
Present "Old State House" constructed
First Fire Safety Ordinance passed. |
Oct. 1832
Sept. 1833
|
Both fires occurred at the Exchange Corner Building located at Main and
State Streets |
First Tax levied for public support of Hartford Fire Dept.
City Council appointed a committee to review fire safety. The
Council authorized expenditures for riveted hose and Fire Department
reorganization. |
|
May 1853
|
Catholic Church on Talcott St. and the Adjacent building at 2 Talcott St.
|
|
|
March 1854
|
Fales and Gray Railroad Car Works located on Potter St. The explosion and
Fire caused the deaths of 21 persons and serious injury to 50 persons. |
Twenty - one deaths are attributed
to this incident. Affirmed that Hartford needed a professional health care facility. The
State of Connecticut granted a charter for the Formation of Hartford
Hospital (May 1854)
|
June
1856
June 1856
April 1856
July 16 1856
|
Taylor’s Livery Stable -
Clapp and Sharp’s Barn 74 State St
M. Chauncey’s Barn – 77 Oak Ave
N. Morey’s Paper Stock Company |
These fires may have been related. The annual "Fireman's" Ball
was held on February 26, 1853. The ball might have irritated neighbors, at
3:00 am the "Fire Bell" was sounded and the Fire Fighters
attending the "Ball" reported to a non existent incident. The
ringer was arrested and jailed. Within three weeks Engine Company #4 experienced
a fire. Closely followed by the rash of major fires.
|
| 1858 |
Willis Thrall's Building on
Asylum and High Streets. |
$118,000 of damage was caused to
the property owner and tenants. |
| February 1859 |
Exchange Hotel at 150 State
Street |
$18,000 loss |
| October 1859 |
The Alcott Allen House located
at 44 Farmington Ave. |
$7,000 loss |
| January 1860 |
Hartford Kerosene Oil
Factory-Canton Street |
$10,000 loss |
| June 1860 |
H. Burgess and Son Saw Mill
Dutch Point |
$14,000 loss |
| March 1861 |
Grove Works on Potter Street
completely destroyed. The Grove Works was housed in the same
building that in
March 1854 housed the
Fales and Gray Railroad Car Works. |
$30,000 loss. Within three
years the "City" passed an ordinance establishing a paid fire
department governed by a Board of Fire Commissioners. |
| Feb. 1, 1864 |
Colt's Fire Arms Factory |
$73,000,000 loss |
| Feb. 17,1871 |
|
During this fire
Fire Fighter Noah Risley became the first recorded death in the
Hartford Fire Department. |
| June 7, 1875 |
Railroad Car Shops |
Fire
fighter Benjamin F. Harrick, Stillman Hose Company, died in the
line of duty. |
| Jan. 1875 |
St. Patrick's Church located at
83 Church Street |
This church was built in 1851
and included in its parish many of the City's Irish Immigrant population. |
| May 24, 1878 |
The Novelty Weaving and Braiding
Works-brick yard |
This fire turned into a major
tragedy for the Hartford Fire Department and the City. Three fire fighters
lost their lives serving their neighbors.
Foreman
DANIEL S. CAMP
Hose man JOHN PARKER Hose man CHARLES E. HARPER |
| November 26, 1879 |
This was the busiest day of
1879. The Department responded to 4 alarms in 18 hours. |
|
| Jan. 23,1882 |
Steam Boat Store House State St.
Hartford High School 39 Hopkins St. |
Because of the severity of the
winter winds and temperatures both structures were lost. |
| July 1884 |
South Congregational
Church 91 Main St. |
|
| Jan 9, 1887 |
Averill Building 420 Main
St. |
Mr. Thomas
R. Laughton, Clerk of the Hartford Board of Fire Commissioners succumbed
to "suffocation" while investigating this fire. |
| Feb. 18, 1889 |
Park Central Hotel 54 High
Street.
The building's boiler exploded and destroyed the building. 23 people
died in this explosion and fire. |
|
| 1895 |
Covered wooden bridge between
Hartford and East Hartford burned. |
Disrupted trolley, vehicular and
pedestrian traffic between the City and town. Ferry service employed
until the completion of the Bulkeley Bridge in 1908. |
| July 2, 1902 |
The Capewell Horse nail Company,
58-60 Governor St. |
The construction of the new
factory employed the latest in Fire Safety and Prevention
technologies developed for commercial construction. Standards
included steel members, brick curtain walls and concrete
floors. |
| Feb. 11, 1906 |
The Day Estate, 139 Asylum
Avenue |
$22,000 loss |
| March 28, 1906 |
Alarm Box 321-A. Hose
Wagon # 1 collided with Engine Company #2 responding to this alarm. |
Permanent
Substitute George F. Goodrich died
as a result of the collision. |
| May 5, 1909 |
Hartford mattress Company,
Temple Street. 11 Engine Companies committed to the
incident |
|
| May 7, 1909 |
|
Hose Driver
E.M.
Quigley of Engine Company #7 died while fighting a
fire. |
| June 29, 1912 |
The Central New England Railroad
Company Building, Spruce Street, burned. |
$60,000 loss |
| Dec. 1, 1912 |
The Gray Telephone Pay Station
Company, 64 Asylum St. |
$50,000 loss |
| Feb.21, 1914 |
Union Railroad Station. 13
companies responded to the incident. Chief Moran ordered a
"3-3" at 2:33 a.m. At 2:52 a.m. an explosion occurred
injuring many fire fighters. |
$ 160,630 loss |
| Feb. 26, 1914 |
The Auditorium Building, 183
Asylum Street. |
$53,608 loss. |
| Dec. 4, 1915 |
The Hartford and New Haven
Transportation Company suffered fire at its steamboat dock. |
$10,000 loss |
| Jan. 29, 1917 |
Box 271 came in at 11:15 p.m.
closely followed at 11:17 p.m. by box 27. both the G. Fox &
Company Department Store, 956-989 Main St. and the F.W. Woolworth company,
988 Main St. were lost to fire. All Hartford Fire Department
resources were committed to this general Alarm |
$711,000 loss. The
Department requested, through the Board of Fire Commissioners a pay
increase. The "City" approved a 10% increase. |
| June 25, 1917 |
In responding to Box 46, Squad
"A" was involved in the first serious accident involving
motorized apparatus. |
Fire Fighter
James Hughes succumbed to injuries sustained in the
incident, five days after the accident. |
| May 19, 1917 |
3 Alarm fire at The Loydon,
Northan and Loydon Ware house on Windsor St. |
$100,000 loss |
| 1917 |
The R. S. Peck Company |
$77,000 loss |
| Dec. 18, 1920 |
Jewell Court, 212 Farmington
Ave. |
$200,000 loss |
| Dec. 28, 1921 |
The Main St Garage and the Crown
Theater Fire |
$150,000 loss |
| March 31, 1923 |
Although not a fire, the Fuller
Brush water tower crashed killing nine persons. Responding fire
fighters were credited with heroics that saved many persons. |
|
| Sept. 7, 1924 |
|
Assistant Chief
Daniel J. Dahill died
in the performance of his duty." |
| Feb. 16, 1926 |
Fire alarm at Box 241 |
Captain Joseph
X. O'Connor became ill at the alarm and died on his
way to the hospital. |
| March 22, 1926 |
The Jewish Orphanage Fire |
Captain John J.
McNally died as a result of," expose to the
fire." |
| Dec. 4, 1928 |
The Hotel Trumbull, 355 Trumbull
St. |
$52,000 loss |
| November 7, 1930 |
This 3-3 alarm at 934-945 main
St. |
Two people died in this fire. |
| Feb 6, 1932 |
Herrup's Furniture Store, 1052
Main St. |
$94,992 Loss |
| March 6, 1932 |
Wise Smith & Co. 1217 Main
St. |
$58,214 Loss |
| March 6, 1932 |
Merchandise Distributors Inc.
209-211 State St. |
$40,565 |
| Jan. 3, 1933 |
Walker's Restaurant, 424 Asylum
St. |
Captain Phillip
E. Duffy died in the line of duty. |
| July 29, 1933 |
Responding to a fire; Engine
Company 5 collided with a truck resulting in a fatality. |
Captain Austin
A. Dungan died in the line of duty. |
| Dec. 12, 1933 |
The Department experienced its
third death of a member during 1933. Box 628 at 177 Kenyon St. |
Lieutenant John
R. Lyons expired on December 13, 1933 from smoke
inhalation and exposure to heat. |
| Dec. 30, 1936 |
24-26 Capitol Ave. Fire |
Captain Edward
T. Lyons died on January 5, 1936 from exposure experienced
at this fire. |
| Oct. 31, 1939 |
Engine Company 15 left quarters
responding to an alarm |
Firefighter
Edward J. Farrell died of injuries resulting from
this alarm |
| Dec. 4, 1941 |
The Department responded to the
collapse of the, under construction, Charter Oak Bridge |
This incident caused 15 persons
to loose their lives. |
| July 6, 1944 |
The Ringling Brothers
Barnum & Bailey Circus Fire. The "Greatest Show on
Earth" appearing on Barbour St. The "big top" burned causing many deaths and many
more injuries. |
This fire took the lives of 168
people. Widely known as the "the
day the Clowns Cried”" fire
caused changes in Fire Safety Regulations. Most families in and
around Hartford suffered the loss of a loved one or knew family and
friends who lost someone they knew and loved.
"See
Circus Fire Memorial Home page" |
| Feb. 24, 1945 |
A 3-3 Alarm experienced at 57
Center St. |
|
| Dec. 6, 1945 |
The Niles St. (60-62 Niles St)
Convalescent Hospital fire. Caused by a short circuit in Christmas
decorations. |
This fire caused the loss of
life to Twenty - 0ne people and injury to 12 persons. |
| Nov. 15, 1949 |
The Arsenal
School, 1400 Main St |
This was the last 4-4 call
transmitted in Hartford |
| Dec. 9, 1949 |
The Cleveland Block, 561-563
Main St. |
$150,000 loss 3-3 alarm |
| Oct. 6, 1954 |
The Hartford Electric Light Co.
South Meadows |
Because of the rapid and aggressive
suppression response the damage loss was limited to $6,000. The loss
of vital electric service to the City was avoided. |
| Dec 29, 1956 |
St. Patrick's Church,
Church and Ann Streets. |
For the third time this significant
church fell victim to fire. |
| Dec. 30, 1956 |
St. Joseph's Cathedral, 150
Farmington Ave |
The Cathedral suffered total
loss to fire. $5,000,000 Loss |
| Jan 12, 1959 |
The Van Dyke Restaurant, 563
Main St. |
3-3 Alarm |
| Dec. 8, 1961 |
Hartford Hospital Fire. |
Nine persons died in this
fire. |
| Feb 22, 1963 |
Frank's Restaurant 250 Asylum
St. |
$500,000 loss. 3-3 Alarm
resulting in injury to Firefighters. |
| Sept. 5, 1963 |
Canada Dry Bottling Co. Franklin
Ave. |
3-3 Alarm |
| September 15, 1974 |
529 Park St. This was the
second fire experienced at this location in as many days. |
Pump
Operator Thomas Fischer died in the line of duty. |
| April 10, 1981 |
210 Judson and 139 Clark
Sts. 3-3 Alarm fire |
This 3-3 alarm destroyed many
buildings, displaced many families from their homes and caused damage to
fire apparatus. |
| June 28, 1982 |
19 Belden St. |
This alarm resulted in permanent
injury sustained by many of the firefighters who responded to the
incident. |
| Dec. 14, 1982 |
950 Asylum Ave. |
|
| July 12, 1992 |
The Royal Typewriter Company,
151 New Park Ave. |
Although "The Royal"
closed many years prior to the fire, this building was a major architectural
feature in Hartford. The neighborhood is now served by a Super Stop
and Shop Supermarket complex. Adjoining the Supermarket is a
modern and recently opened motion picture complex. |
| May 27, 1995 |
Crystal Lab Fire, 612 Capitol
Ave. |
3-3 Alarm. |
| Sept. 14, 1995 |
House of Bread, Main and High
Sts. |
3-3 Alarm |
| June 23, 1999 |
The Hawthorn Street Fire, 103
Hawthorn St. |
This fire developed into a multiple alarm
event. Due to the size of the emergency, mutual aid was requested, and
received, from Fire Departments as far away as New Britain,
Ct. Departments that provided mutual to the Hartford Fire
Department included elements of: Glastonbury, Newington, Farmington, New
Britain, East Hartford, West Hartford, Windsor, Manchester, Bloomfield and
the Blue Hills fire services. |
| June 8, 2001 |
The 12 Willard St. |
Fire forced 58 families and over 200 persons from their
homes. This multi alarm event caused a
long term mass care and feeding. The American red Cross housed and
cared for the fire victims for an extended period of time. |
| February 26, 2003 |
Greenwood Health Center,
5 Greenwood St. |
16 people lost their lives. As a result of
this fire, laws governing the use of sprinklers in convalescent homes were
changed so that all nursing homes in CT must have them. This fire was the
greatest disaster in the City’s History since the Niles Street Convalescent
home fire of 1945.
It was the nation's deadliest nursing home fire
in a half-century. |
