A first alarm assignment was dispatched for a structure fire at 611 Main Street, bringing Company 22, Engine 23, Engine 24, Rescue 21, Truck 20, and Schuylkill Air-Light 66-60. Engine 22 responded with a crew of six, and Truck 22 responded with a crew of five. Chief 22 and Chief 22-1 arrived on the scene via POV and were met by Lykens Borough PD. Smoke was pushing out of the second floor of a two story building, from an apartment above the Chinese Restaurant. Engine 22 was positioned at the A/B corner of the building, Engine 23 was positioned at the A/D corner, and Truck 22 was positioned directly in front of the building, on side A. Engine 24 stood by at the intersection of Main and Market Streets with Rescue 21 (to act as RIT). Air-Light 66-60 (Tower City) was also there. Company 66 and Truck 20 were placed in service. The first line in, with a crew of two firefighters from Company 23 and two others from Company 22 located fire in the bathroom. It appeared that a hair dryer was left plugged in and turned on. It had burned through the counter top and into the floor and wall. Water pipes in bathroom appeared to have burst, helping to control the spread of the fire. Overall, there was probably less than 15 gallons of water used to put out the fire, but there was extensive water damage down through the floor into the Restaurant below caused by the broken water pipes.
Truck 22 requested to respond to the scene of previously canceled call. Truck responded with 5 and arrived on scene side 2 of a large brick church. Initial sizeup determined the cause to be a furnace malfunction. OIC requested an examination of the chimney to ensure no blockage in the flue. Crew inspected chimney and found no blockage.
A series of explosions ripped apart a chemical plant in Hawthorne, New Jersey, on February 17, 1967. Several dust explosions were caused by a steam-heated roaster. Eleven people were killed and several buildings were destroyed.
Fire broke out at the Katie Jane Nursing Home in Warrenton, Missouri, at 3:45 p.m. on Sunday, February 17, 1957. The fire started in a hallway of the 65-year-old two-story brick structure. Shortly after the fire's start, a muffled explosion shot flames and smoke billowing into the air. There were 155 residents, about 50 visitors, and a number of employees in the building at the time. Firemen from 25 nearby communities, townspeople, and attendants rushed into the burning building and helped bedridden inmates and the injured out before flames thwarted further rescue attempts. They could hear screams and cries for help, as they were unable to re-enter the burning building. About ten people jumped from windows onto mattresses. The fire spread quickly and engulfed the entire building within minutes. The roof collapsed into the second floor, and then the second floor collapsed into the first floor, with the mass of burned debris ending up in the basement. Thirty-nine patients in an adjoining building were evacuated. Seventy people were reported missing after the fire. Firefighters searching through the debris in the basement recovered what was left of bodies. They were burned so badly that the pieces were collected in small cardboard boxes or plastic bags. Seventy-two people died in the fire. The property damage was about $250,000.
The building of the Signet Club, a society of students of Harvard University, on Dunster Street, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, was damaged by fire on February 17, 1905. The firemen had to rescue the steward, his wife, and children from windows. The damage to the clubhouse was $1,500, but that to its costly furnishings will be much greater.
On February 17, 1882, an explosion occurred in the Porter Mansion, an old stone building on an open lot at the corner of Third and Welsh Streets in Chester, Pennsylvania. The building, which was the former residence of Admiral Porter's relatives, was occupied by Professor Samuel Jackson's manufactory of Pyrotechnics and also used as a residence by several families. A two story frame extension was added to the rear of the building, used as part of the factory. The explosion occurred at 7:20 a.m. and blew part of the roof off and set the building on fire. The explosion is believed to have been caused by a puff of coal gas from a stove that set fire to loose powder on the floor, which in turn exploded some of the fireworks stored in the room. Moyamensing Hose, Franklin Hose, and Handly Hook and Ladder, the three fire companies that make up the Chester Fire Department, responded to the scene. The firemen were tired from fighting the fire at the Academy the night before. They were told that there was little or no powder and harmless pyrotechnics stored in the building - so, they set to work without fear. Some men helped in removing equipment from the building while others took positions on the roof to better reach the fire. Another slight explosion occurred, causing the crowd of spectators to back away from the scene. After the work of fighting the flames had gone on for half an hour, and the building was surrounded by a throng of firemen and spectators, a violent explosion occurred and an entire wing of the stone building was thrown into the air. Fragments of stone, timber, and human bodies were hurled long distances and scattered over a wide area. Men watching the fire from 150 yards away were struck and killed. Others were dashed against houses and trees with fatal violence. Others were torn limb from limb. One assistant fireman who was standing on the roof of the wing that exploded was thrown to the top of the main building where he lodged among the burning rafters. He lay howling in pain, roasting to death for half an hour, before being rescued, only to die shortly after. One fireman, who was standing on a ladder putting water on the fire, was struck by a stone and thrown 150 feet away, where he fell dead, horribly mangled. The dead bodies of two other firemen, who had been on the roof, were picked up 200 yards away. The explosion shook buildings and broke windows all over the city. The firemen stopped fighting the fire and switched to rescue and recovery operations. Fragments of bodies, that had been scattered around, were gathered up and taken along with the dead to City Hall for identification. The wounded were carried to nearby houses where they were cared for by doctors. Afterwards, the firemen returned to fighting the fire, which was put out by 10 o'clock, although there was little left to burn. A search was then made for missing people. Fifteen people were killed by the explosion, and about seventy-five people were injured. At least three other people died from their injuries in the following days.
On Monday, February 17, 1868, a fire broke out in the cellar of Anthony King's hardware store, on the corner of Third and Market Streets in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. The fire was caused by the explosion of an coal-oil lamp. Firemen responded and it was believed that the fire was put out. The store was full of people when a terrific explosion took place, injuring about thirty firemen and citizens.
364
Flavius Cla?d Jovianus Killed by Fumes - Dadastana, Turkey
Flavius Cla?d Jovianus, the Roman Emperor who was elected by the army after the death of Julian, died after a reign of only eight months. On February 17, 364, during his return to Constantinople, he was found dead in bed in his tent at Dadastana, Turkey (halfway between Ancyra and Nicaea). He died from the poisonous carbon monoxide fumes of a charcoal warming fire in his tent.
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