1976--THE FIRE THAT COULD HAVE BURNED THROUGH ST LOUIS

ONE OF MY FASCINATIONS IS THE HISTORY OF THE FIRE SERVICE AND SOME OF THE MAJOR FIRES. GROWING UP IN ST LOUIS I SAW MY SHARE OF MAJOR FIRES AROUND THE CITY. I REMEMBER ONE SUNDAY GOING TO MY GRANDMOTHERS HOUSE AND THE BUILDING ATTACHED TO HER WAS DESTROYED BY FIRE WITH PART OF THE FRONT WALL LAYING IN THE YARD. SHE LIVED IN WHAT THEY CALL FLATS OR BROWNSTONES IN ST LOUIS ON THE NORTH SIDE AND WHERE SHE LIVED AT YOU COULD HEAR SIRENS ALL DAY AND ALL NIGHT.

ON 2-APRIL-1976 THE CITY OF ST LOUIS FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS FACED WITH ONE OF ITS WORSE FIRES IN YEARS. AT ONE POINT AND TIME THE FIRE CHIEF CONSIDERED BLASTING BUILDINGS TO HELP KEEP THE FIRE FROM SPREADING ANY FURTHER.

THE FIRE DESTROYED SIX BUILDINGS, DAMAGED FOUR OTHERS, AND MANY SMALL FIRES WERE STARTED BY FLYING BRANDS ON ROOFS AND GRASS FIRES.



THE PICTURES BELOW ARE FROM THE ST LOUIS POST DISPATCH.

AS SEEN ABOVE UNION STATION

FIREFIGHTERS TOO CLOSE TO THE FIRE TRYING TO HIT IT WITH LARGE CALIBER LINES

A WALL OF FIRE

WALLS COMING DOWN

YOU CAN SEE THE TOP PART OF THE WALL COMING DOWN

FALLING EVEN MORE..... LUCKILY NOBODY WAS KILLED



FIRE FROM THE FIRST FLOOR TO ROOF

JUST HAPPY TO BE ALIVE AFTER OUT RUNNING A FALLING WALL
ENGINE FIVE BURING AFTER A WALL CAME DOWN ON IT
MORE FIRE AND RIGS

SMOKE AND DEBRIS FLYING ACROSS THE STREE IN FRONT OF ONE OF THE ST LOUIS ENGINE COMPANIES

COOLING DOWN A BROTHER AFTER A EMBER WENT DOWN HIS COAT YOU CAN SEE OTHERS PULLING HIS COAT OFF WHILE ANOTHER WETS HIM DOWN

BURNING RIG AND BUILDING AS A FIREFIGHTER WALKS AWAY.

WALKING THROUGH THE RUBBLE

WORKING ON WETTING DOWN A GRASS FIRE STARTED BY FLYING EMBERS

THE CRUSHED REMAINS OF ENGINE CO 5 AFTER A WALL CAME DOWN ON IT

FIREFIGHTERS CONTINUE TO POUR WATER ON SMOKING REMAINS THE NEXT DAY

FIREFIGHTERS CONTINUE TO POUR WATER ON THE THE SMOKING REMAINS OF THE FIRE

THE DETESTATION

ST LOUIS FIRE USES A HEAVY WRECKER TO PULL THE BURNED OUT REMAINS OF ENGINE CO 5

A ONCE PROUD RIG NOW DESTROYED.

THE LAST THREE PICTURES WERE SUPPLIED TO ME BY A FRIEND IN THE FIREPIX.NET BOARD AND WERE ADDED TO THIS POST WITH HIS PERMISSION.