2/2/1978 Chester, Delaware the Wade Dump fire, “a spectacular general-alarm fire involved the illegal three-acre, ABM-Wade hazardous material dumpsite. It was estimated that over 20,000 drums, containing more than 100 different kinds of highly toxic chemicals, and several … [Read more...]

2/1/1985 the Vicstar Electronics Store fire killed three Chicago, IL firefighters. “Early in the morning a two-story building at 2847 North Milwaukee Avenue was destroyed by fire. Three firefighters perished while fighting the blaze. The building's first floor housed Vicstar … [Read more...]

1/31/1904 three Brooklyn, NY (FDNY) firefighters died while operating at Box # 77-44-493, 2-50 Nobble Street. “A four-alarm fire heavily damaged a two-story warehouse used to store jute and hemp. Two firefighters died after being they were overcome by toxic fumes given off by the … [Read more...]

1/30/1888 six buildings were destroyed by fire in New York, NY, one firefighter was killed. The fire started in a store at 549 Broadway, a five-story iron front double building, on the west side between Prince and Spring Streets and extended through Mercer Street in the early … [Read more...]

1/29/1874 two Philadelphia, PA firefighters died “while operating at a major fire involving the three-story Olympia Theatre, at 1224-28 Market Street, they were killed when they were caught under a collapsing wall. Five other firefighters from Engine 4 were also seriously injured … [Read more...]

1/28/1986 the Challenger spacecraft exploded 73 seconds into its flight killing all seven crew members after an O-ring seal in its right solid rocket booster failed. The Challenger disaster occurred over the Atlantic Ocean, in U.S. waters, off the coast of central Florida, at … [Read more...]

1/27/1967 a fire onboard Apollo 1, the Apollo/Saturn 204 (AS-204) spacecraft, killed Command Pilot Virgil I. “Gus” Grissom, Senior Pilot Ed White, and Pilot Roger B. Chaffee during a training exercise at Launch Complex 34 at Cape Canaveral (Cape Kennedy) FL. “A NASA review board … [Read more...]

1/26/1909 a Duluth, MN “died while operating at a kitchen fire in a three-story frame hotel that spread to the rear of the building and burned away the frame supports holding up a large chimney. He was working from a ladder, without a helmet, when the chimney suddenly collapsed … [Read more...]

1/25/1865 three Buffalo, New York died on a bitterly cold morning, at a major fire that destroyed a block of buildings, including stores and a rambling five-story hotel. “As gale force winds threatened to spread the fire into other blocks, a decision was made to blow up several … [Read more...]