1/8/1894 a Chicago, IL firefighter died while fighting a fire at the site of the World’s Columbian Exposition. “The fair had closed in October 1893, and many of the buildings were unoccupied at the time of the fire. A number of popular fair buildings were destroyed in the fire, including the music hall, casino, quadriga, and peristyle. He was fighting the fire at the peristyle (a row of columns surrounding a space within a building such as a court or internal garden) from the top of a ladder when he lost his balance and fell to the ground.”
1/8/1920 a Buffalo, NY firefighter died from the injuries he sustained after he was overcome from smoke, and fell off a roof. While searching the roof of a building at 145-147 Seneca St., members became cut off from the ladder. He was leaning over a brick wall calling for help. As he reached for the ladder he was overcome by smoke and fell 25 feet, landing on another roof below.
1/8/1928 a York, PA firefighter died “while operating at a fire involving a commercial garage, he was crushed to death after an explosion on the second floor of the burning building blew a wall out on top of him.”
1/8/1930 a New Haven, CT firefighter “died of injuries suffered on January 7th at an ammonia leak in the Meat Market of E. Schoenberger & Sons, 360 State Street. He was in the basement with other members of his company to control the leak when the ammonia tank exploded. He was struck in the head with a flying piece of metal and found unconscious in the toxic ammonia atmosphere.”
1/8/1933 a Racine, WI died during a stubborn and smoky fire involving a fruit store. He entered a rear door leading to the smoke-filled cellar just ahead of two other firefighters. After a short time, he became separated from the two men and was declared missing. A rescue team entered the basement and found him lying unconscious in about a foot of water. A large piece of wood had fallen on him, apparently dislodging his mask.”
1/8/1960 a Manhattan, NY (FDNY) firefighter “died as a result of injuries sustained while operating at a single-alarm fire at Box # 66-75-563, 8th Avenue.
1/8/1966 a Madison, WI firefighter “died of smoke inhalation while fighting a fire in the apartments above the Sergenian’s Carpet Store at 227 State Street.”
1/8/1979 a Youngstown, Ohio firefighter “was fighting a fire in a two-story frame house at 230 Carlton at 2:30 p.m. He was in a second-floor stairway when he uttered a sound and collapsed. He was removed from the structure and given CPR by until the department ambulance arrived. He died around an hour after arriving at Saint Elizabeth Hospital.”
1/8/2014 two people were killed and five injured in a fire that ripped through a group home for people with special needs in Santa Ana, CA. Firefighters rescued two people from the burning licensed group home for developmentally disabled adults. Their 71-year-old caregiver suffered serious injuries, burns and smoke inhalation trying to save two women trapped inside. The two women, ages 48 and 52, died in the fire, three special needs residents, were treated for smoke inhalation. A firefighter was also injured during the rescue operations.
1/8/1982 Radium, KS a drilling rig explosion and fire killed two and injured two about 24 miles southwest of Great Bend when workers were pulling pipe from the well after a test, natural gas entered the engines breather causing it to race, while trying to secure the engines the explosion occurred.
1/8/1958 M/V Erling Jarl, a passenger ship, in Bodo, Norway caught fire and killed fourteen, fire regulations were enhanced after the fire.
1/8/1929 Calumet, MI Washington High School was destroyed by fire that started in the chemical laboratory on the third floor and quickly spread to the entire building.
1/8/1912 Hart-Parr Traction Engine Co was destroyed by fire in Charles City, Iowa. Nine tractors were damaged seriously, and three thousand gallons of oil burned besides a large amount of belting. The fire started from worn electric wire near a can of naphtha. The building was uninsured.
1/8/1901 twenty-six children and two adults were killed, and twelve others injured at the Rochester, NY Orphan Asylum fire discovered at 1:10 a.m. and caused by a natural gas explosion in the boiler room in the west wing.
1/8/1900 Ashland, Wisconsin conflagration.
1/8/1896 Lyons, NY the Hotel Baltzel, the largest hotel in Wayne County was partially destroyed by fire.
1/8/1897 Chicopee, KS the Mount Carmel Co. mine dust or gas explosion killed six around 6:40 p.m. The blacksmith’s shop and other buildings on the surface were damaged and fire started in the timbering, but was extinguished.