PATERSON FIRE HISTORY
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  • FIREFIGHTERS
  • CHIEF ENGINEERS
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  • THE SUPREME SACRIFICE
    • MEMORIAL SERVICE
  • OBITUARIES / DEATHS
    • 1889-1919 DEATHS
    • 1920-1939 DEATHS
    • 1940-1959 DEATHS
    • 1960-1969 DEATHS
    • 1970-1979 DEATHS
    • 1980-1999 DEATHS
    • 2000-2009 DEATHS
    • 2010 AND LATER
  • NOTABLE FIREFIGHTERS
    • CALAMITA FAMILY
    • CAPTAIN JOHN WEBER
    • CUSACK FAMILY
    • FLEMING FAMILY
    • GERARD DUGAN
    • HANCOCK FAMILY
    • HENRY OTIS HARRIS
    • ISAAC FELICIANO
    • JOHN GILMORE
    • JOSEPH DAYSPRING
    • KEARNEY-FAMILY
    • MARIANI FAMILY
    • McLAUGHLIN FAMILY
    • SALMANOWITZ BROTHERS
    • THE SIMONTONS
    • THE SWEENEYS
  • NOTABLE FIRES/INCIDENTS
  • SPECIAL OP EVENTS
  • TAKING THE HEAT BOOK
  • HISTORICAL REVIEWS
  • 1907 GUARDIAN
  • 1936 HEARD & SEEN COLUMN
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  • SPECIAL OPERATIONS
  • EMS
    • EMS ROSTER
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  • DOCUDRAMAS
  • APPARATUS
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  • NOTABLE EVENTS INDEX
    • PFD STORIES
    • APPARATUS NOTABLES
    • APPTS & PROMOTIONS
    • AWARDS
    • 1960 CHIEF SELECTION
    • GRAND STREET RIOT 1917
    • GROUND ZERO
    • MILITARY
    • PARADES PAID DEPT
    • RED MASS
    • RESCUES
    • RETIREMENTS
    • SISTER LORETTA
    • SPORTS
    • THEATRE DETAIL
  • MEMORABILIA
  • PATCHES DECALS LOGOS SHIRTS
  • WALLPAPER
  • DEPARTMENT PETS
  • TRAINING
  • VOLUNTEER DEPARTMENT
    • 1821 - 1854 HISTORY
    • 1815-1890 VOLUNTEER HISTORY
    • 1888 HISTORICAL SUMMARY
    • LOOKING BACKWARDS
    • VOLUNTEER PARADES
    • ANNUAL REPORTS
    • VOLUNTEER CHIEFS >
      • CHIEF ELECTIONS
      • CHIEF BIOS
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    • ANDREW MOSER
    • ENGINE CO APPARATUS LIST
    • OLD GOOSENECK
    • JEFFERS STEAMER
    • VOLUNTEER COMPANIES
  • AUXILIARY FIRE DEPARTMENT
  • EXEMPT ASSOCIATION
    • EXEMPT 1892 BALL
    • EXEMPT BY-LAWS 1902
  • EXEMPT HOME & RELICS
  • FMBA / PFA
    • FMBA BY-LAWS
    • FMBA 1949 FOLLIES
  • BALLBOOKS
    • 1909 BALL BOOK
    • 1916 BALL BOOK
    • 1918 BALL BOOK
    • 1921 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1923 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1928 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1935 PFD BOOSTER
    • 1936 JANUARY PICTORIAL
    • 1936 DECEMBER PICTORIAL
    • 1937 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1938 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1939 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1941 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1942 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1943 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1944 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1945 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1946 ANNUAL BALL
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    • 1961 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1962 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1963 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1964 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1965 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1966 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1967 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1968 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1969 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1970 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1971 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1972 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1973 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1975 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1976 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1977 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1979 ANNUAL BALL
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    • 1981 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1982 ANNUAL BALL
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  • ANNUAL REPORTS
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  • CITY OF PATERSON

FRANKLIN STREET GENERAL ALARM FIRE
​
October 21, 1963

Fire and explosion in a 3-story textile plant killed one man and injured 27 others. The plant, two exposed dwellings, 28 cars and Truck 3 were destroyed. The men of second alarm company Engine Company 5 using deluge set made the cover of the January 1964 Fire Engineering. The official address of the building was 178 Keen Street. Station 656 sounded at 12:33 PM  
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Courtesy Richard Davenport
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October 21, 1963: Paterson Evening News - Courtesy Dennis Morrison
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Courtesy Dennis Morrison
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October 22, 1963: Paterson Evening News Courtesy Dennis Morrison
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Courtesy Dennis Morrison
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Paterson Evening News

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Morning Call
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Bottom left is Engine Company 5 FWD with l-R: FF Tommy Alala, Captain Charles Walker and Ff Henry Harris
The raised aerial ladder of Truck 3 Ahrens Fox is seen in flames below.
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John Malone photos courtesy Vince Zito
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Frank Malzone photo
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John Malone photos courtesy Vince Zito
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Malzone photo
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John Malone photos courtesy Vince Zito
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John Malone photos courtesy Vince Zito
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John Malone photos courtesy Vince Zito
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January 1964 cover story in Fire Engineering Magazine - Engine Company 5 with Captain Charles S Walker in center and Fireman Henry Harris (Paterson's first African American firefighter) on right and Tommy Alala on the left.
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Aerial view of the conflagration
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Courtesy Dennis Morrison
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Courtesy Dennis Morrison
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Courtesy Sharon Woodruff
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FF Victor LaRegina of Engine 13 with aerial in background - photo courtesy Janet LaRegina
From the Fire Engineering article written by Deputy Chief William Comer: By the time the first alarm assignment of Engine companies 2, 3, 12 and Truck 3 arrived fire had taken over most of the first floor. Deputy Chief Leo Fitzsimmons who arrived with the first alarm units ordered a second alarm before getting out of his gig. Truck 3 had raised its aerial ladder to the third floor and Engine 2 had stretched a line into the first floor. Engine 3 was still hooking up to a hydrant on the same side of  the building (Franklin Street side) but before they had water another explosion rocked the building. Flames shot through the windows like a torch, engulfing the ladder truck and parked cars and licked at the frame dwellings across the street. 

Denied the use of their raised aerial ladder, members of Truck 3 raced through the first floor and herded a large group of workers through exits on the other side of the building. The men of Engine Company 2 miraculously escaped serious injury and managed to get out through first-floor windows seconds before still another blast. Caught in the exposed street, the men of Engine Company 3 dropped everything and drove their apparatus through a driveway and into a backyard behind the houses. The other first alarm company (and the only one still operative) Engine 12 had circled the complex of buildings and stretched from Keen Street on the north.

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The first due second alarm company was 5 out of Fire Headquarters at 115 Van Houten Street under the command of Captain Charles S Walker. They took a key postion (see cover of Fire Engineering Magazine above) on Franklin Street at the west end of the building. They stretched two lines into their monitor and were sweeping the street with this line to keep the fire from involving the  exposed frame dwellings. They also managed to salvage the hose line which Engine 2 had dropped in their rush to safety by using a hose clamp and then hooking it into their pumper to add to the already heavy stream they had developed. ​
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Exposures burning
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Wall collapse: Truck 3 Ahrens Fox burning at right
As explosions continued to occur and flames leaped higher and higher, very rapidly 3rd, 4th and then general alarms were sounded and mutual aide summoned. As the additional companies arrived they were thrown into the fight to save the dwellings and parked cars on Franklin Street and then spotted around the perimeter of the fire using heavy streams from hand lines, monitors and thrust pipes. It was a long struggle, since the building had collapsed within itself, creating a densely packed mass of timber,stock furniture and machinery that burned fiercely and to a degree inaccessibly. ​
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View from Erie Railroad tracks
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John Malone photos courtesy Vince Zito
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John Malone photos courtesy Vince Zito
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John Malone photos courtesy Vince Zito
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John Malone photos courtesy Vince Zito
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John Malone photos courtesy Vince Zito
October 21, 1963: ​Truck Company 3 Journal  Transcript is below
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Courtesy of Hancock Collection
​Monday , October 21, 1963

8 AM: Test taps OK. Roll Call: Tour 1 Captain John Feeney, Joseph Saia, Alfonso Francavilla, William Shortway and Joseph Pelligrino have [sic] quarters on regular leave. Tour 3 Captain Joseph Nardella, Frank Mancinelli, John Toth and Thomas Kosman return from regular leave. Tour #2 and #4 on regular leave. James Rennie on suspension and Lieutenant Daniel Dowd on vacation. Engine Co 3 on day watch.​
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Captain Joseph Nardella
8AM Deputy Chief Leo Fitzsimmons picked up reports
8:17 am Fire alarm Radio test OK
8:35 AM: Received orders from Deputy Chief Rudolph Peppinghaus – Drill for the week of October 21st.
9:10 AM Serviceman from Warner Engineering to quarters to repair radio in Car #73. Left quarters at 9:35 AM.
9:40 AM  Master Mechanic Contini to quarters to check Car #73 Left at 10:00 AM
10:00 AM Company Drill and evaluation 13 and 15
12:15 am Test Taps OK
12:25 PM Joseph Leitner visited quarters
​
12:31 PM: Alarm from Station 656. Apparatus left quarters with Captain Nardella, Mancinelli, Toth and Kosman. Absentees noted at 8:00 AM roll call. Responded to 178 Keen St. and upon arrival reported to Deputy Chief Leo Fitzsimmons and was ordered to raise the 75’ ladder to roof of the Franklin Finishing Co. We were also informed by several employees that one employee was trapped on the first floor under debris due to an explosion. I assisted two employees in removing an injured man to outdoors and another explosion occurred in which the entire building fully involved with fire and also ignited this company’s apparatus and there was no possible chance in moving apparatus due to heat and flames coming out of building. We were then ordered to assist Engine Companies with 2 1/2” water lines and wet down neighboring dwellings, also assisted Engine Co. #3 in turning over burning debris.

The following names answered on recall. Captain John Feeney, Fiore Malzone, William Shortway, Alfonso Francavilla, Joseph Saia, Joseph Pelligrino, Robert Wester, Thomas Hannenberg, Alexander Kidd, Lieutenant Edward Holloway, Philip Mendillo, and William Mosca.

This company was later ordered to return to quarters leaving apparatus and equipment at fire which was almost totally destroyed. John Toth’s coat and boots destroyed. This company’s members and recall men, Lt. Holloway, Philip Mendillo, A. Kidd, W Mosca and T Hanneberg returned to quarters. Co. Time = 5 hrs. 20 min.
​
1:40 PM  MC Daniels & John Kedash to quarters with spare truck apparatus and on duty orders of Assistant Chief Dayspring with Captain John Feeney in charge
2:32 PM Truck Company 1 in service
4:20 PM All Truck Cos’ in service
5:29 PM Station 321
5:31 PM Return signal
5:34 PM Truck Co# 2 in service
5:42 PM James Johnstone to quarters with an assortment of salvaged tools and equipment from Truck Co’ 3 apparatus
6:20 PM via FAO “Tour 3” relieved from duty
6:33 PM vis FAO “Tour 1” relieved from duty
​
Photo of what the destroyed aerial looked like - it is in the foreground (a 1956 photo)
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October 21, 1963: Engine Company 11 Journal - received several orders from various chief officers - told by BC Findlow to salvage equipment from Truck 3 which was destroyed by flames.  Recall noted.
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October 22, 1963:  Paterson News
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January 9, 1964:  Article re the fire written by D/C Comer is published in Fire Engineering
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Paterson Evening News courtesy Dennis Morrison

​Verbal history:
 (via e-mail to web site) My Grandparents owned one of the two houses totally destroyed in this fire. It was an incredible tragedy for our family. A house my Mom grew up in, the factory was across the street. I remember looking in those bottom floor windows as a child..seeing the huge rolls of silk going through the machines, the noise of the motors and the incredible "smell" of the silk dyeing process. All still very vivid for me even now as a 66 year old (my Mom is 92!) My frail Grandmother had to be taken out of there over back fences as there was no way to get out. It was a dead-end street. Then next day my Grandmother died of a heart attack from all the unbearable stress. It was truly a very hard time for my family, losing their home and then her too. So to see the photos of that inferno again just made me gasp. 
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  • HOME
  • OVERVIEW
    • FIRST CENTURY
    • EVENTS 1890-1894
    • EVENTS 1895-1899
    • EVENTS 1900-1910
    • EVENTS 1911-1919
    • EVENTS 1920-1939
    • EVENTS 1940-1959
    • EVENTS 1960-1979
    • EVENTS 1980-1999
    • EVENTS 2000-2019
    • EVENTS 2020-2023
  • FIREFIGHTERS
  • CHIEF ENGINEERS
    • ASSISTANT CHIEFS
    • DEPUTY CHIEFS
    • BATTALION CHIEFS
    • CHIEF GIGS
  • THE SUPREME SACRIFICE
    • MEMORIAL SERVICE
  • OBITUARIES / DEATHS
    • 1889-1919 DEATHS
    • 1920-1939 DEATHS
    • 1940-1959 DEATHS
    • 1960-1969 DEATHS
    • 1970-1979 DEATHS
    • 1980-1999 DEATHS
    • 2000-2009 DEATHS
    • 2010 AND LATER
  • NOTABLE FIREFIGHTERS
    • CALAMITA FAMILY
    • CAPTAIN JOHN WEBER
    • CUSACK FAMILY
    • FLEMING FAMILY
    • GERARD DUGAN
    • HANCOCK FAMILY
    • HENRY OTIS HARRIS
    • ISAAC FELICIANO
    • JOHN GILMORE
    • JOSEPH DAYSPRING
    • KEARNEY-FAMILY
    • MARIANI FAMILY
    • McLAUGHLIN FAMILY
    • SALMANOWITZ BROTHERS
    • THE SIMONTONS
    • THE SWEENEYS
  • NOTABLE FIRES/INCIDENTS
  • SPECIAL OP EVENTS
  • TAKING THE HEAT BOOK
  • HISTORICAL REVIEWS
  • 1907 GUARDIAN
  • 1936 HEARD & SEEN COLUMN
  • FIREHOUSE PHOTOS / FACTS
  • SPECIAL OPERATIONS
  • EMS
    • EMS ROSTER
  • COMPANY & FH HISTORY
  • COMMUNICATIONS / FA
    • FIRE BOX LISTS
    • FIRE BOXES & STANCHIONS
    • EVRS STATION LIST
  • FIRE VIDEOS 1991-2011
  • FIRE VIDEOS 2014-2022
  • DOCUDRAMAS
  • APPARATUS
  • APPARATUS VIDEOS
  • NOTABLE EVENTS INDEX
    • PFD STORIES
    • APPARATUS NOTABLES
    • APPTS & PROMOTIONS
    • AWARDS
    • 1960 CHIEF SELECTION
    • GRAND STREET RIOT 1917
    • GROUND ZERO
    • MILITARY
    • PARADES PAID DEPT
    • RED MASS
    • RESCUES
    • RETIREMENTS
    • SISTER LORETTA
    • SPORTS
    • THEATRE DETAIL
  • MEMORABILIA
  • PATCHES DECALS LOGOS SHIRTS
  • WALLPAPER
  • DEPARTMENT PETS
  • TRAINING
  • VOLUNTEER DEPARTMENT
    • 1821 - 1854 HISTORY
    • 1815-1890 VOLUNTEER HISTORY
    • 1888 HISTORICAL SUMMARY
    • LOOKING BACKWARDS
    • VOLUNTEER PARADES
    • ANNUAL REPORTS
    • VOLUNTEER CHIEFS >
      • CHIEF ELECTIONS
      • CHIEF BIOS
    • VOLUNTEER PROFILES
    • ANDREW MOSER
    • ENGINE CO APPARATUS LIST
    • OLD GOOSENECK
    • JEFFERS STEAMER
    • VOLUNTEER COMPANIES
  • AUXILIARY FIRE DEPARTMENT
  • EXEMPT ASSOCIATION
    • EXEMPT 1892 BALL
    • EXEMPT BY-LAWS 1902
  • EXEMPT HOME & RELICS
  • FMBA / PFA
    • FMBA BY-LAWS
    • FMBA 1949 FOLLIES
  • BALLBOOKS
    • 1909 BALL BOOK
    • 1916 BALL BOOK
    • 1918 BALL BOOK
    • 1921 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1923 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1928 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1935 PFD BOOSTER
    • 1936 JANUARY PICTORIAL
    • 1936 DECEMBER PICTORIAL
    • 1937 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1938 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1939 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1941 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1942 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1943 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1944 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1945 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1946 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1947 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1948 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1949 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1950 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1951 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1952 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1953 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1954 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1955 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1956 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1957 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1958 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1959 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1960 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1961 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1962 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1963 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1964 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1965 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1966 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1967 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1968 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1969 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1970 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1971 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1972 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1973 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1975 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1976 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1977 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1979 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1980 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1981 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1982 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1983 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1984 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1985 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1986 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1987 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1988 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1989 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1990 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1991 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1992 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1993 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1994 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1995 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1996 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1997 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1998 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1999 ANNUAL BALL
    • 2000 ANNUAL BALL
    • 2001 ANNUAL BALL
    • 2002 ANNUAL BALL
    • 2003 ANNUAL BALL
    • 2004 ANNUAL BALL
    • 2005 ANNUAL BALL
    • 2010 ANNUAL BALL
    • 2011 ANNUAL BALL
    • 2014 ANNUAL BALL
    • 2016 ANNUAL BALL
  • ANNUAL REPORTS
  • PFH CONTRIBUTORS
  • ORAL HISTORY
  • STATISTICS
  • CONTACT
  • CITY OF PATERSON