5/6/1937 the zeppelin Hindenburg, the pride of Nazi Germany, fire killed thirty-six and the zeppelin industry, at the Naval Air Station in Lakehurst, NJ. The 804’ long by 135’ diameter 247,100 pounds air ship originally intended to be filled with helium was filled with 7,000,000 ft³ flammable hydrogen gas in 16 cells was completely destroyed in 34 seconds.
5/6/1897 a Manhattan, New York (FDNY) firefighter “died of smoke inhalation while operating at a basement fire. Twenty-two firefighters who tried to rescue him and who were sufficiently affected to necessitate their removal to the hospital.”
5/6/1925 “while mopping up at a three-alarm warehouse fire at the Jass Manufacturing Company, at 321 Decatur St, six Atlanta, GA firefighters were killed instantly when the floor above them, which was loaded with over 150 bales of cotton, collapsed on top of them. Eight other firefighters were severely injured. The cause of the collapse was attributed to the weight of the water-soaked bales resting on fire-weakened timbers.”
5/6/1933 a Manhattan, New York (FDNY) firefighter “died as a result of the injuries he sustained the previous day, when he and his company were caught in a roof collapse while operating at a three-alarm fire.”
5/6/1958 an Indianapolis, Indiana firefighter “was overcome by smoke while attempting a reported rescue at a residential fire. He was found unconscious inside the home and could not be revived. The report that there was a need for rescue turned out to be false.”
5/6/1968 a Baltimore, MD died while “working fire in a vacant two-story brick dwelling. While manning a line of the roof of the building, he collapsed and died of an apparent massive heart attack. External heart massage and mouth-to-mouth resuscitation were performed at the scene to no avail.”
5/6/1979 an East Haddam, CT firefighter “died after suffering a heart attack and burns, while operating at a fire.”
5/6/2015 Heimdal, ND six cars of a BNSF crude oil train derail and a fire erupted, forcing temporary evacuation of Heimdal.
5/6/1923 a mine explosion near Aguilar, CO trapped and killed ten men.
5/6/1882 the Racine, WI multi-block conflagration started in the Goodrich warehouse about 10:00 p.m. and rapidly spread to the lumber-yards and continued to extend north of Third Street, from the lake to the river, mutual aid was requested from Milwaukee and Chicago.
5/6/1839 near Natchez, MS the Steamer George Collier explosion killed twenty and injured over twenty-five around 1:00 a.m.