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Post by RigBuff on Jun 18, 2004 10:31:26 GMT -5
About significant fires..... Baldwin may have lasted only four hours, and with no injuries or loss, but it was spectacular. From a view west of the fire, a very LARGE portion of the SKY looked as if it were on fire. Here are some other fires that seem significant and I wonder if any of you remember them...... The Castellini warehouse....... The Emmert Grain Company (over the rhine) ..... the five alarm that ocurred on NEW YEAR'S EVE in the "bottoms" of the city (Butler Street?) in the late 60's or early 70s, with ice on the apparatus, power lines, etc ....... the Queen City Wreath Company on W. McMicken Avenue in roughly 1958 (three alarm, but large fire and more apparatus at that time) .... the Buckeye Foundry fire near end of Hopple Street Viaduct ...... and also I seem to remember one or two more fires that ocurred down in the bottoms of the city in roughly 1962-1966. If I remember correctly, there was one from which light smoke was noticed as far north as the lower Clifton area. Anyone remember any of these?
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Post by FireBuff on Jun 18, 2004 15:17:31 GMT -5
Buckeye Foundry Fire
The Buckeye Foundry Fire is the one the stands out in my mind. It happened on a Friday night around 8:00 p.m. When the fire came in I was at home in Westwood so I took off for the fire. Unit 2 was working that day and I was good friends with everyone at the 21 house. I parked my Jeep at the top of Carll St. and walked down to Carll and Beekman were engine 29 took the hydrant. I helped the engineer turn the water on in the street and then went up to the 21 engine which was at Pulte and Beekman. The 21 were suppose to take that hydrant put it had no water. The 12 cross fired to the 21 pumper. Later that night engine 14 hose tender took the hydrant at Pulte and we found that it to was turned off in the street. At the time of the fire the workers at the foundry were on strike and they got the blame for the fire. I think to this day that someone turned off both hydrants in the street before the fire was set. It should also be noted that engine 21 had just gotten their 65 Seagrave back after the garage removed the gas engine and replaced it with a 6 cylinder diesel engine. They pumped water all night without any problems. I spent most of the night until I had to go to work spraying down truck 13 with the booster line off the 21 to keep the paint from pealing. Truck 13 pulled off the street next to the building and set up a ladder pipe. There was a lot of blame as to who started the fire. The workers blamed management and management blamed the workers. The foundry never did open again. I don’t believe anyone was charged with setting the fire.
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Post by RigBuff on Jun 19, 2004 7:49:11 GMT -5
I too remember the intense heat from the Buckeye, as a spectator. Speaking of heat and spraying down apparatus, if I am correct, Truck 7's apparatus suffered blistering damage at the Castellini Warehouse fire.
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Post by RigBuff on Jul 4, 2004 12:59:38 GMT -5
Another five alarm, if I remember correctly, that may be of interest for "history" etc. ... the St. Gregory? Seminary in Mount Adams. late 1050s or early 60s? Anyone remember any details of this fire?
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Post by district5 on Jul 4, 2004 22:47:05 GMT -5
There were two separate significant fires at Cincinnati religious institutions that you may be recalling.
The first, was a fire at Saint Gregory Seminary on Beechmont Avenue in Mt. Washington, on the extreme east side of town. The south wing was gutted early on the morning of March 31, 1956.
The second incident was a five alarm fire at the Holy Cross Monastery on October 28, 1982. This was in Mt Adams, near downtown.
Both of these were major fires and deserve recognition in the history of the Cincinnati Fire Department.
Are there any firefighters who recall fighting either of these two “big ones?” Please share your stories.
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Post by Box_2565 on Jun 4, 2005 17:13:02 GMT -5
I guess we need to add Queen City Barrl to the list....
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