On 9/24/1928 the Teatro de Novedades theater fire in Madrid, Spain killed up to three hundred persons, one report placed the death toll at 68, a second suggests 100, and a third estimated 300 and 200 injured. Hundreds were trampled in the panic that followed an explosion and fire that occurred on stage during a brief intermission at 8:50 p.m. The Novedades was one of the oldest and largest theatres in Madrid with a capacity of 3,000 people, and was “packed to the doors with a typical Sunday audience.” “The flames spread with terrible rapidity through the wooden fittings. Hundreds of persons were trampled by those who pushed on from behind while others were suffocated and doubtless burned to death.” “Faced with the burning stage, the public panicked and fled towards the exit of the theater. The stampede had started earlier from the boxes, so the human plug was inevitably formed when the spectators tried to leave the stalls. Many of the victims were due to the human stampede. The entire cast of actors survived. The rumor soon spread that among the deceased there were people who had stab wounds and many suspected that the confrontation for the flight had been harder than expected. Although the forensic doctors denied these theories, sadness had already taken over the city and the echo of the magnitude of the fire crossed the borders of our country.”
On 9/24/1901 a Chicago, Illinois firefighter died while fighting an industrial fire at 3142 South Canal Street. “The fire in the five-story factory for the Freund Brothers Manufacturing Company was reported shortly after 7:00 a.m. Neighbors heard a loud explosion and saw flames through the factory’s third and fourth-floor windows. The flames fed on the paints, oils, and wallpaper produced by the factory, and the upper floors of the building were fully involved by the time firefighters arrived. Over the next few hours, the building gradually collapsed. The roof and interior floors collapsed at around 7:30 a.m., followed by the south wall at 8:00 a.m. The north wall collapsed a few minutes later, setting off a series of explosions when additional oils and varnishes ignited. One explosion eventually brought down the building’s west wall, which buried four firefighters, including the victim. He was rescued from the debris but died from his injuries while being transported to Mercy Hospital. During the morning of the fire, members of the Freund family were assaulted by neighborhood residents who were angry about the death of the firefighter, as several fires had occurred in the factory over the years.”
On 9/24/1911 a Manhattan, New York (FDNY) “died as a result of critical back and internal injuries sustained September 20, 1911, when he fell from a roof at a smoky loft building fire.”
On 9/24/1929 an Atlanta, Georgia firefighter died “while operating at a fire at the Mutual Clothing Company, at 30 Broad Street, SW, He was overcome by smoke and collapsed. He was rushed to Grady Hospital in the Chief’s car, but died before any treatment could be rendered.”
On 9/24/1951 a Brooklyn, New York (FDNY) firefighter “died as a result of massive internal injuries, and multiple fractures that he sustained when he fell from the roof of the fire building while operating at a single alarm fire.”
On 9/24/1961 a California Department of Forestry (CALFIRE) firefighter “died from burns he had suffered while operating at a fire.”
On 9/24/1965 a Minneapolis, Minnesota firefighter died at “a five-alarm fire that started on the second floor of the eight-story Old Dutch Food Company on 4th Avenue South and 3rd Street. The fire burned unnoticed for some time, spreading through much of the building and to a four-story annex via pipe chases and vents. On arrival, firefighters found heavy smoke showing from the third floor of the 75-year-old building and began an interior attack to locate the seat of the blaze. Suddenly, they found themselves surrounded by fire and were forced to make a hasty retreat. One firefighter became separated from his crew and managed to find his way through the heavy smoke to the four-story annex. As he approached the safety of a window with a fire escape, the roof and all floors of the building suddenly collapsed, carrying him down and burying him under tons of flaming rubble. His body was recovered 12 hours later.”
On 9/24/2000 a Scenic Loop Volunteer Fire Department, Texas firefighter died at a structure fire in a residence. “The fire was in the attic area. Firefighters attempted an interior attack but were forced from the building by extreme heat and smoke. The order was given to open the roof for ventilation. Two firefighters went to the roof of the structure to cut a hole. As the hole was being cut, one firefighter fell through the roof into the main body of fire. He was not wearing a self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA). The cause of his death was listed as smoke and soot inhalation.”
On 9/24/2016 two firefighters were killed responding to a rowhouse fire at 1927 Lakeview Road Wilmington, Delaware in the Canby Park Section. Firefighters responded to the house fire after receiving a call at 2:54 a.m. “Units first on the scene received reports from bystanders, on the street, that people were still trapped in the home.” Shortly after the firefighters entered the burning home, the first floor collapsed trapping them in the basement area of the home. In addition to the two fatalities, four other firefighters were injured during the fire. The family in the home at the time of the fire, including six children, managed to escape through the back of the residence.”
On 9/24/1936 a Missoula, Montana fire destroyed a historic four-story, 125-room Florence Hotel. When the fire was discovered the University of Minnesota’s football team, the “Gopher Squad” en route to Seattle to meet the University of Washington on Saturday coaches and trainers, and other guests fled to the street and many did not have time to dress into their street clothes and stood shivering in the near-freezing temperature.
On 9/24/1930 in Kellyville, Oklahoma an oil field boiler explosion killed one and seriously injured a second man.
On 9/24/1908 two Redding, California warehouses were destroyed by an incendiary fire; one man was reported missing.
On 9/24/1904 the New Market Train wreck left fifty-four dead near Hodges, Tennessee.
On 9/24/1897 in Marion, Illinois the Williamson County Coal Company mine explosion killed one and injured several others. “The explosion was no doubt caused by natural gas being ignited by the miners’ lamps.”
On 9/24/1883 the business portion of Hailey, Idaho on the east side of Main Street between Bullion and Croy Streets was destroyed by fire.
On 9/24/1875 in Marshall, Michigan a fire destroyed the large and commodious four-story brick building Herndon Hotel that was full of guests leaving one dead. The fire may have started from a gas leak.