4/27/1870 a Richmond, VA firefighter died “while operating at the State Capitol disaster when a balcony collapsed.” 4/27/1904 New York, New York (FDNY) three firefighters were killed in a four-alarm fire that destroyed the five-story John Stanley Soap Works on West Thirtieth … [Read more...]

4/26/1903 two Portland, ME firefighters died at “a spectacular lumberyard fire on a wharf was threatening the entire waterfront as a stiff breeze off the harbor blew burning embers over the entire area. Second and third alarms were struck as flaming embers landed in other … [Read more...]

4/25/1854 a fire in the William T. Jennings Building in Manhattan, NY (231 Broadway) claimed the lives of eleven firefighters. While battling the blaze the top floors as well as a large iron safe collapsed into the 2nd floor killing the firefighters. “A fire broke out at the … [Read more...]

4/24/1851 the first alarm signal system was installed in Boston, MA, the system had 40 manual crank street boxes on 3 box circuits with 19 alarm bells originally painted black, the concept was pioneered by Dr. William F. Channing and designed by Moses G. Farmer, a telegraphic … [Read more...]

4/23/1940 the Rhythm Club fire killed 207 (209) and injured more than 200 of the over 700 patrons listening to music in Natchez, MS on St. Catherine Street. The fire started around 11:45 p.m. in the hamburger stand next to the lobby of the one-story wood frame corrugated … [Read more...]

4/22/1869 a Baltimore, MD firefighter “died in agony as a result of painful injuries sustained in the wall collapse on April 17th. One leg was severely burned from his hip to his heel, and he suffered internal injuries. As firefighters reached him in the debris, he told them he … [Read more...]

4/21/1926 the Marsh Wood Products fire in Milwaukee, WI killed six firefighters; over the course of the next few days six firefighters died from this fire. “Firefighters had responded to a wood products plant for a report of a fire in the boiler room, where a huge bin held tons … [Read more...]

4/20/2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill (also referred to as the BP oil spill or the Gulf of Mexico oil spill) and drilling rig explosion, killed eleven platform workers and injured seventeen others that was finally stopped 7/15/10 when the wellhead capped, after releasing about … [Read more...]

4/19/1995 The Alfred P. Murrah Federal building in Oklahoma City, OK bombing killed 168 and left over 800 injured after a Ryder truck containing 5,000 pounds of fertilizer and nitromethane mixture detonated. A massive rescue operation that continued over a period of 17 days and … [Read more...]

4/18/1906 San Francisco, CA a magnitude (Mw) 7.8 earthquake occurred when the San Andreas Fault slipped over a segment about 275 miles long at 5:12 a.m. The subsequent fires killed 315+ and the fire ultimately destroyed over 500 city blocks almost 30,000 buildings of the … [Read more...]