Hook and Ladder Company No. 6 was organized and placed in service
on April 6, 1888. The newly completed 2-story brick house was located
on a 25’ wide X 133’ deep lot on the northeast corner of Hanover and
Ostend Streets, in South Baltimore. The cost of the lot was $2,000 and
the building was $12,000.
The first apparatus was an 1866 William Ives single bank 40’ ladder
truck drawn by three horses that was received from Hook and Ladder
Co. 1. Captain William A. Larkins was put in charge of the new company.
The first run occurred on April 14, 1888. Box 54 was sounded at 3:54
PM for a fire in a stable at 813 Plum Alley. The responding companies
were Engines 1, 2, and 12 along with H&L’s 2 and 6.
On June 13, 1888 a new Hayes 55’ aerial single bank ladder truck built
by LaFrance was placed in service.
At a meeting of the Board of Fire Commissioners held on February 14,
1893 Captain William A. Larkins, of No. 6 Hook and Ladder Company,
was promoted to Assistant Engineer. He filled the spot of John J.
Ledden who was promoted to Chief Engineer of the Department a
week earlier due to the line of duty death of John M. Hennick on
February 1st.
On April 1, 1893 the newly created District Engineer # 6 was placed in
service at H&L No.6 quarters.
On September 17, 1894 another new Hayes 75’ aerial single bank
ladder truck built by LaFrance was placed in service. This was also
drawn by 3 horses. The 1888 Hayes then went to H&L 10 in 1895.
On March 12, 1898 the house box 631of Hook & Ladder No.6 was
sounded at 4:32 AM for a fire in a 5-story tin factory of the Keen &
Hagerty Company located on Race, Clement, and Ostend Streets. The
fire had gotten a good headway before it was discovered and seven
minutes after the first alarm, a general alarm was sent in. The flames
spread rapidly and took over the third, fourth, and fifth floors of the
building. Watchman James H. Bratten was driven up to the fifth floor
where he was seen at a window shouting for help. Lieutenant Franklin
A. Teal was one of the first firefighters to see him in his perilous
position. Lt Teal along with Captain O’Keefe and the other members of
H&L No.6 raised a 45-foot ladder to the building. It was several feet too
short to make the rescue. Then Lt. Teal pulled a pompier ladder from
the truck and put it into the window where Bratten was almost
unconscious from the dense smoke. Lt. Teal made his way up the
pompier ladder and into the window where he lifted Bratten unto his
shoulders, then descended the ladder where he handed him off to
Captain O’Keefe and the other members of the truck company. For his
brave efforts Lt. Teal received the "Merchants Medal" and his name
was inscribed on the Roll of Honor of the Fire Department.
On June 7, 1899 H&L No. 6 participated in a parade for the Maryland
State Fireman’s Convention that was held in Westminster, Maryland.
The company’s first line of duty death was recorded on June 21, 1899.
While drilling in front of quarters on May 26th Captain Thomas D. O’
Keefe was lifting a heavy ladder that resulted in a hernia. He was
relieved of duty on June 14th and entered the hospital for an
operation on June 17th. He died on the 21st as a result of the shock to
his nervous system. He was 34 years old and had 11 years of service in
the Department.
On September 16, 1901 the Hose Wagon of Engine 2 and District
Engineer #5 were temporarily relocated to Hook & Ladder No. 6
quarters while their house was being rebuilt. On December 23rd the
work was completed and they both returned to their assigned house.
On August 1, 1903 a used ladder truck was placed in service. It was an
1883 Hayes 85’ single bank aerial ladder built by LaFrance formerly in
service as Reserve Truck "C. The 1894 Hayes/75’ LaFrance became
Reserve Truck "C".
Hook & Ladder No. 6 saw service at the Great Baltimore Fire which
started on February 7, 1904. The original time of the automatic alarm
from the J. E. Hurst & Company was 10:48 AM and was investigated by
Engine Co. 15 and Hook & Ladder 2. An explosion followed shortly
thereafter causing the collapse of the building and destroying the
apparatus of both companies. Another box alarm was pulled at 10:51
followed by a general alarm from the now famous box 414 at 10:55.
Hook & Ladder No. 6 responded on the general alarm and remained in
service at the fire for the next 32 hours. 29 companies from Baltimore
and 40 companies from 13 other cities and towns helped battle the
blaze until it was declared under control sometime around 11:30 AM on
February 8th.
The fire claimed an area of over 140 acres, along with 1520 buildings
and the monetary loss was put at over $150,000,000.
On October 1, 1907 another new Hayes 85’ single bank LaFrance aerial
ladder truck was placed in service. Sometime later in the year a Dahill
hoist was installed on the aerial ladder by the Repair Shop.
On April 19, 1919 the 1907 ladder truck was placed out of service to the
Repair Shop to be motorized. By this time the era of horse drawn
apparatus was coming to an end. On May 7th a 2-wheel Christie front
drive tractor was attached to the Hayes trailer.
On December 21, 1920 District Engineer #6 relocated back to the new
station of Engine Co. 2 at Light and Montgomery Streets.
On August 17, 1922 at 2:57 PM while responding to Box 548, Charles
and Hill Streets, Truck 6 was traveling northbound on Hanover Street.
The driver lost control of the Christie tractor, jumped the curbstone
and crashed into a dwelling at 935 South Hanover St. There were no
injuries reported.
Again the ladder truck was updated on March 3, 1923 with the addition
of a new Mack AC tractor to pull the 1907 Hayes aerial ladder.
In March of 1926, two members of Truck Co. 6 were selected to receive
the "Citizen" award for the previous year 1925. This cash award has
been given for the past four years to a deserving policeman and
fireman for the bravest acts performed during the year. The money has
been donated by an anonymous "Citizen".
This years recipients were Firemen Charles A. Hicks and Daniel P.
Thornton, both of Truck Co. 6. As stated in the report by Battalion Chief
John Kahl to Chief of Department August Emrich: On March 10, 1925
two horses, attached to a heavy wagon of the American Ice Company,
had been left standing in front of the Southern District Police Station.
At 8:50 AM while many children were on the street waiting to go to
school the horses became frightened and bolted west on Ostend
Street.
As the team passed by the quarters of Truck 6, Hicks and Thornton
heard the screams of the frightened children, ran outside and
succeeded in stopping the team after both men were dragged about
one hundred feet.
The $100.00 award was shared by the two men.
In the early evening of August 10, 1926 South Baltimore was rocked by
a series of explosions originating from the American Oil Company
located at Hanover and Wells Streets. At around 5:30 PM a truck being
loaded with gasoline had backfired and set off a spectacular blaze in
the plant containing more than 300,000 gallons of oil and gasoline in
ten tanks around the plant.
The first alarm from Box 65 was sounded at 5:30 and as Truck 6
approached the scene heading south on Hanover Street Captain
Edward H. Warr sounded the third alarm at 5:32. The two Chemical
Foamite Wagons were special called and the fourth alarm was struck
out at 5:43 followed by the sixth alarm at 5:53. The fourth alarm from the
adjacent box 5622 was struck out twenty minutes later.
At this point four tank cars loaded with gasoline were also ablaze. With
the winds blowing the heat and heavy smoke to the northwest the
backs of seven houses, 1900-1912 South Hanover Street, were also set
ablaze as well as several automobiles on the street and in the alleys.
Flowing, burning oil was running all around the firefighters as they
were battling the blaze, and threatening the gas tanks at Spring
Gardens, just west of the fire scene. Trenches were dug around the
gas tanks in the Spring Garden plant to allow the burning oil to run into
the Middle Branch of the patapsco River thus saving the tanks there.
Residents of Hanover, Clarkson, Heath and Barney Streets carried
their valued possessions from their houses, fearful that the
explosions and fire would level the whole neighborhood.
Seven firefighters were injured as well as scores of civilians. The
worst part of the fire was suppressed in the late evening hours and
the fire continued to burn throughout the next day.
On August 26, 1926 Chemical Company No. 3 was organized and
housed at the quarters of Truck 6. The apparatus was a 1913 White with
2-50 gallon and 4-35 gallon foam tanks.
On January 15, 1927 Captain Edward H. Warr tendered his resignation
with the Fire Department and was appointed Chief of the Fire
Insurance Salvage Corps. He had served the department for 15 years.
In 1939 the truck was again rehabbed with pneumatic tires replacing
the solid rubber ones and new fenders and running boards were
installed. In 1940 the truck was rebuilt by the Repair Shop and a new
Hayes 85’aerial ladder was installed.
Tragedy struck Truck 6 on April 23, 1940. Fireman Herman Jackson was
killed while battling a four alarm fire at P. Frederick O’Brecht and Sons
feed warehouse located at 423-425 West Pratt Street. Jackson and
three other members of Truck 6 were working near the top of the 85’
wooden aerial ladder on the Paca Street side of the building when the
wall collapsed beneath them. The falling wall snapped off the ladder
and plunged them all through a sheet of flames into the building.
At the risk of their own lives other firemen ran up the broken ladder
and into the building where they dug out the firemen that were buried
among the bricks and large bags of partially burnt feed. Jackson was
rescued and taken to the nearest hospital where he died later that
evening from internal injuries. The other three were also removed and
taken to South Baltimore General Hospital suffering from broken
bones, cuts, and bruises. The injured firemen were Leonard
Hoogeboom, Charles A. Gentry, and John C. Rudolf.
Jackson was 37 years old and had 14 years of service.
On January 7, 1941 a new Seagrave tractor replaced the 1923 Mack and
was attached to the rebuilt 1940 Hayes 85’ ladder.
On November 24, 1954 Truck 6 moved into the modern era of
apparatus when they placed in service a new American LaFrance cab
forward double-banked ladder tiller truck. It was an all metal 100’
hydraulic operated aerial ladder with a fixed tiller seat. The old 1941
Seagrave/Hayes went in service as Truck 28.
On November 28, 1957 the new American LaFrance tiller truck was
involved in an accident while responding to a chimney fire in the 900
block of Sharp Street. Shortly after 9:00 AM Truck 6 collided with a
refrigerated box truck at the intersection of Hamburg and Sharp
Streets. Injured in the accident were Firefighter Louis J. Boeh and
Lieutenant Louis E. Hall who was thrown out of the cab upon impact.
Boeh was treated at the hospital and Hall refused treatment. There was
some damage to the tiller truck.
On January 4, 1958 after fighting a small fire and returning to the
quarters of Truck 6 Firefighter Joseph J. Gray of Chemical Co. 3 was
tapping out the in-service signal on the watch desk when he suddenly
collapsed and died of a heart attack. He was 50 years old with 14 years
of service.
On April 15, 1959 Chemical Company No. 3 was disbanded.
The 1960’s was a tragic decade for Truck 6. On July 23, 1962 the 1954
American LaFrance truck was wrecked in a serious accident with
Engine 2. A fire in a carnival stand in Riverside Park at Randall and
Johnson Streets was caused by a lightning strike. Box 641 was
sounded at 8:46 PM. Truck 6 was responding east on Fort Avenue
while Engine 2 was responding south on Light Street. At the
intersection of Light Street and Fort Avenue they both collided and
Truck 6 careened into the confectionary store on the southeast corner
killing the co-owner of the store who was standing behind the counter
at the time of the accident. When the truck plunged through the front
wall and came to rest on the debris the tillerman, Stephen Chearney
was inches from having his head sheared off by the top of the doorway
opening. The driver and Lieutenant were trapped in the front seat of
the open cab tractor when it caught fire. Firefighters Walter Schmidt
and Walter Williams were clinging to the side of the truck as it crashed.
Although injured Schmidt grabbed a fire extinguisher and put out the
fire and helped to get the two out of the cab. All the firefighters on
Engine 2 were injured and their Seagrave engine was demolished.
When the Repair Shop pulled the truck out of the building the front
wall collapsed further damaging the truck. The woman in the store was
found dead under the debris. The Repair Shop completely rebuilt
Truck 6 and it went back in service in less than two years later.
Ironically Firefighter Stephen Chearney died in the line of duty less
than a year later, on February 25, 1963, while battling a five-alarm fire
at the Bio Ramo Drug Company at 323-325 West Baltimore Street.
Chearney was climbing a ladder at the scene of the fire when he
collapsed of a heart attack and died. He was 55 years old and in his
20th year of service.
Again, two and a half years later, on July 9, 1965 another Firefighter
from Truck 6 died of a heart attack. Firefighter Morris G. Hunt was
fighting a six-alarm fire in a 3-story loft building located at 1215
Leadenhall Street. After fighting the fire for about an hour in the 90
degree heat and very high humidity from the rooftop of the Furst
Brothers building, Hunt came down the ladder and was seen sitting on
the fire truck. He then got up and started to cross the street when he
collapsed to the ground.
Battalion Chief Martin McMahon rushed to him and administered
mouth-to-mouth recuscitation along with heart massage but to no
avail. He was transported to the hospital where he was pronounced
dead. He was 32 years old with 9 years in the service.
On June 30, 1971 Floodlight 2 was relocated from Hose Company 1 to
Truck 6 quarters due to Hose 1 being disbanded.
On May 20, 1974 Floodlight 2 was redesignated as Reserve Floodlight.
On July 17, 1974 a new diesel powered Seagrave model PT double
banked tiller ladder truck was placed in service. It had a 100’ metal
hydraulic aerial ladder with a cab-forward 5 man cab and a fixed
enclosed tiller seat. The previous 1954 American LaFrance was
reassigned to Reserve Truck 21.
On February 3, 1980 the first of a few fires that would strike the vacant
complex of the Imperial Packaging Corporation located at Race and
Ostend Streets and in the 100 block of W. Heath Street. There were
several 3, 4, and 5-story vacant warehouses in the area that would be
torched in the next few months. Around 5:00 PM Truck 6 house box 631
was struck out for 3-story vacant building found ablaze and quickly
went to 5-alarms and was brought under control in an hour. Two more
fires in vacant buildings on W. Heath Street occurred on March 8th and
16th. One was a single alarm and the other a two-alarmer. And finally
on June 29th the block-long 6-story vacant warehouse in the 1300
block of Race Street was burned down in a spectacular 12-alarm fire.
On March 26, 1987 a new Spartan Monarch 4-door fully enclosed cab
with a 110’ LTI aerial tiller truck was placed in service. It was delivered
in white with orange trim and fenders. The previous 1974 Seagrave
was reassigned as Reserve Truck 43.
In October of 1988 the Reserve Floodlight Wagon was placed out of
service and sold to a private collector.
On December 18, 2003, three days after Engine 26 moved in, Truck 6
moved from their 115 year old quarters on South Hanover Street to the
new Locust Point Station located at 1001 East Fort Avenue along with
Engine 26 and Medic Unit 5.
On May 19,2005 a used 2000 Seagrave model TT 100’ aerial tiller truck
was placed in service. It was formerly in service as Truck 21. The 1987
Spartan truck was reassigned to the Fire Academy as a training truck.
The photo to the left and the banner photo are the same truck. Above
is after new paint and lettering and, other improvements to the truck.
on April 6, 1888. The newly completed 2-story brick house was located
on a 25’ wide X 133’ deep lot on the northeast corner of Hanover and
Ostend Streets, in South Baltimore. The cost of the lot was $2,000 and
the building was $12,000.
The first apparatus was an 1866 William Ives single bank 40’ ladder
truck drawn by three horses that was received from Hook and Ladder
Co. 1. Captain William A. Larkins was put in charge of the new company.
The first run occurred on April 14, 1888. Box 54 was sounded at 3:54
PM for a fire in a stable at 813 Plum Alley. The responding companies
were Engines 1, 2, and 12 along with H&L’s 2 and 6.
On June 13, 1888 a new Hayes 55’ aerial single bank ladder truck built
by LaFrance was placed in service.
At a meeting of the Board of Fire Commissioners held on February 14,
1893 Captain William A. Larkins, of No. 6 Hook and Ladder Company,
was promoted to Assistant Engineer. He filled the spot of John J.
Ledden who was promoted to Chief Engineer of the Department a
week earlier due to the line of duty death of John M. Hennick on
February 1st.
On April 1, 1893 the newly created District Engineer # 6 was placed in
service at H&L No.6 quarters.
On September 17, 1894 another new Hayes 75’ aerial single bank
ladder truck built by LaFrance was placed in service. This was also
drawn by 3 horses. The 1888 Hayes then went to H&L 10 in 1895.
On March 12, 1898 the house box 631of Hook & Ladder No.6 was
sounded at 4:32 AM for a fire in a 5-story tin factory of the Keen &
Hagerty Company located on Race, Clement, and Ostend Streets. The
fire had gotten a good headway before it was discovered and seven
minutes after the first alarm, a general alarm was sent in. The flames
spread rapidly and took over the third, fourth, and fifth floors of the
building. Watchman James H. Bratten was driven up to the fifth floor
where he was seen at a window shouting for help. Lieutenant Franklin
A. Teal was one of the first firefighters to see him in his perilous
position. Lt Teal along with Captain O’Keefe and the other members of
H&L No.6 raised a 45-foot ladder to the building. It was several feet too
short to make the rescue. Then Lt. Teal pulled a pompier ladder from
the truck and put it into the window where Bratten was almost
unconscious from the dense smoke. Lt. Teal made his way up the
pompier ladder and into the window where he lifted Bratten unto his
shoulders, then descended the ladder where he handed him off to
Captain O’Keefe and the other members of the truck company. For his
brave efforts Lt. Teal received the "Merchants Medal" and his name
was inscribed on the Roll of Honor of the Fire Department.
On June 7, 1899 H&L No. 6 participated in a parade for the Maryland
State Fireman’s Convention that was held in Westminster, Maryland.
The company’s first line of duty death was recorded on June 21, 1899.
While drilling in front of quarters on May 26th Captain Thomas D. O’
Keefe was lifting a heavy ladder that resulted in a hernia. He was
relieved of duty on June 14th and entered the hospital for an
operation on June 17th. He died on the 21st as a result of the shock to
his nervous system. He was 34 years old and had 11 years of service in
the Department.
On September 16, 1901 the Hose Wagon of Engine 2 and District
Engineer #5 were temporarily relocated to Hook & Ladder No. 6
quarters while their house was being rebuilt. On December 23rd the
work was completed and they both returned to their assigned house.
On August 1, 1903 a used ladder truck was placed in service. It was an
1883 Hayes 85’ single bank aerial ladder built by LaFrance formerly in
service as Reserve Truck "C. The 1894 Hayes/75’ LaFrance became
Reserve Truck "C".
Hook & Ladder No. 6 saw service at the Great Baltimore Fire which
started on February 7, 1904. The original time of the automatic alarm
from the J. E. Hurst & Company was 10:48 AM and was investigated by
Engine Co. 15 and Hook & Ladder 2. An explosion followed shortly
thereafter causing the collapse of the building and destroying the
apparatus of both companies. Another box alarm was pulled at 10:51
followed by a general alarm from the now famous box 414 at 10:55.
Hook & Ladder No. 6 responded on the general alarm and remained in
service at the fire for the next 32 hours. 29 companies from Baltimore
and 40 companies from 13 other cities and towns helped battle the
blaze until it was declared under control sometime around 11:30 AM on
February 8th.
The fire claimed an area of over 140 acres, along with 1520 buildings
and the monetary loss was put at over $150,000,000.
On October 1, 1907 another new Hayes 85’ single bank LaFrance aerial
ladder truck was placed in service. Sometime later in the year a Dahill
hoist was installed on the aerial ladder by the Repair Shop.
On April 19, 1919 the 1907 ladder truck was placed out of service to the
Repair Shop to be motorized. By this time the era of horse drawn
apparatus was coming to an end. On May 7th a 2-wheel Christie front
drive tractor was attached to the Hayes trailer.
On December 21, 1920 District Engineer #6 relocated back to the new
station of Engine Co. 2 at Light and Montgomery Streets.
On August 17, 1922 at 2:57 PM while responding to Box 548, Charles
and Hill Streets, Truck 6 was traveling northbound on Hanover Street.
The driver lost control of the Christie tractor, jumped the curbstone
and crashed into a dwelling at 935 South Hanover St. There were no
injuries reported.
Again the ladder truck was updated on March 3, 1923 with the addition
of a new Mack AC tractor to pull the 1907 Hayes aerial ladder.
In March of 1926, two members of Truck Co. 6 were selected to receive
the "Citizen" award for the previous year 1925. This cash award has
been given for the past four years to a deserving policeman and
fireman for the bravest acts performed during the year. The money has
been donated by an anonymous "Citizen".
This years recipients were Firemen Charles A. Hicks and Daniel P.
Thornton, both of Truck Co. 6. As stated in the report by Battalion Chief
John Kahl to Chief of Department August Emrich: On March 10, 1925
two horses, attached to a heavy wagon of the American Ice Company,
had been left standing in front of the Southern District Police Station.
At 8:50 AM while many children were on the street waiting to go to
school the horses became frightened and bolted west on Ostend
Street.
As the team passed by the quarters of Truck 6, Hicks and Thornton
heard the screams of the frightened children, ran outside and
succeeded in stopping the team after both men were dragged about
one hundred feet.
The $100.00 award was shared by the two men.
In the early evening of August 10, 1926 South Baltimore was rocked by
a series of explosions originating from the American Oil Company
located at Hanover and Wells Streets. At around 5:30 PM a truck being
loaded with gasoline had backfired and set off a spectacular blaze in
the plant containing more than 300,000 gallons of oil and gasoline in
ten tanks around the plant.
The first alarm from Box 65 was sounded at 5:30 and as Truck 6
approached the scene heading south on Hanover Street Captain
Edward H. Warr sounded the third alarm at 5:32. The two Chemical
Foamite Wagons were special called and the fourth alarm was struck
out at 5:43 followed by the sixth alarm at 5:53. The fourth alarm from the
adjacent box 5622 was struck out twenty minutes later.
At this point four tank cars loaded with gasoline were also ablaze. With
the winds blowing the heat and heavy smoke to the northwest the
backs of seven houses, 1900-1912 South Hanover Street, were also set
ablaze as well as several automobiles on the street and in the alleys.
Flowing, burning oil was running all around the firefighters as they
were battling the blaze, and threatening the gas tanks at Spring
Gardens, just west of the fire scene. Trenches were dug around the
gas tanks in the Spring Garden plant to allow the burning oil to run into
the Middle Branch of the patapsco River thus saving the tanks there.
Residents of Hanover, Clarkson, Heath and Barney Streets carried
their valued possessions from their houses, fearful that the
explosions and fire would level the whole neighborhood.
Seven firefighters were injured as well as scores of civilians. The
worst part of the fire was suppressed in the late evening hours and
the fire continued to burn throughout the next day.
On August 26, 1926 Chemical Company No. 3 was organized and
housed at the quarters of Truck 6. The apparatus was a 1913 White with
2-50 gallon and 4-35 gallon foam tanks.
On January 15, 1927 Captain Edward H. Warr tendered his resignation
with the Fire Department and was appointed Chief of the Fire
Insurance Salvage Corps. He had served the department for 15 years.
In 1939 the truck was again rehabbed with pneumatic tires replacing
the solid rubber ones and new fenders and running boards were
installed. In 1940 the truck was rebuilt by the Repair Shop and a new
Hayes 85’aerial ladder was installed.
Tragedy struck Truck 6 on April 23, 1940. Fireman Herman Jackson was
killed while battling a four alarm fire at P. Frederick O’Brecht and Sons
feed warehouse located at 423-425 West Pratt Street. Jackson and
three other members of Truck 6 were working near the top of the 85’
wooden aerial ladder on the Paca Street side of the building when the
wall collapsed beneath them. The falling wall snapped off the ladder
and plunged them all through a sheet of flames into the building.
At the risk of their own lives other firemen ran up the broken ladder
and into the building where they dug out the firemen that were buried
among the bricks and large bags of partially burnt feed. Jackson was
rescued and taken to the nearest hospital where he died later that
evening from internal injuries. The other three were also removed and
taken to South Baltimore General Hospital suffering from broken
bones, cuts, and bruises. The injured firemen were Leonard
Hoogeboom, Charles A. Gentry, and John C. Rudolf.
Jackson was 37 years old and had 14 years of service.
On January 7, 1941 a new Seagrave tractor replaced the 1923 Mack and
was attached to the rebuilt 1940 Hayes 85’ ladder.
On November 24, 1954 Truck 6 moved into the modern era of
apparatus when they placed in service a new American LaFrance cab
forward double-banked ladder tiller truck. It was an all metal 100’
hydraulic operated aerial ladder with a fixed tiller seat. The old 1941
Seagrave/Hayes went in service as Truck 28.
On November 28, 1957 the new American LaFrance tiller truck was
involved in an accident while responding to a chimney fire in the 900
block of Sharp Street. Shortly after 9:00 AM Truck 6 collided with a
refrigerated box truck at the intersection of Hamburg and Sharp
Streets. Injured in the accident were Firefighter Louis J. Boeh and
Lieutenant Louis E. Hall who was thrown out of the cab upon impact.
Boeh was treated at the hospital and Hall refused treatment. There was
some damage to the tiller truck.
On January 4, 1958 after fighting a small fire and returning to the
quarters of Truck 6 Firefighter Joseph J. Gray of Chemical Co. 3 was
tapping out the in-service signal on the watch desk when he suddenly
collapsed and died of a heart attack. He was 50 years old with 14 years
of service.
On April 15, 1959 Chemical Company No. 3 was disbanded.
The 1960’s was a tragic decade for Truck 6. On July 23, 1962 the 1954
American LaFrance truck was wrecked in a serious accident with
Engine 2. A fire in a carnival stand in Riverside Park at Randall and
Johnson Streets was caused by a lightning strike. Box 641 was
sounded at 8:46 PM. Truck 6 was responding east on Fort Avenue
while Engine 2 was responding south on Light Street. At the
intersection of Light Street and Fort Avenue they both collided and
Truck 6 careened into the confectionary store on the southeast corner
killing the co-owner of the store who was standing behind the counter
at the time of the accident. When the truck plunged through the front
wall and came to rest on the debris the tillerman, Stephen Chearney
was inches from having his head sheared off by the top of the doorway
opening. The driver and Lieutenant were trapped in the front seat of
the open cab tractor when it caught fire. Firefighters Walter Schmidt
and Walter Williams were clinging to the side of the truck as it crashed.
Although injured Schmidt grabbed a fire extinguisher and put out the
fire and helped to get the two out of the cab. All the firefighters on
Engine 2 were injured and their Seagrave engine was demolished.
When the Repair Shop pulled the truck out of the building the front
wall collapsed further damaging the truck. The woman in the store was
found dead under the debris. The Repair Shop completely rebuilt
Truck 6 and it went back in service in less than two years later.
Ironically Firefighter Stephen Chearney died in the line of duty less
than a year later, on February 25, 1963, while battling a five-alarm fire
at the Bio Ramo Drug Company at 323-325 West Baltimore Street.
Chearney was climbing a ladder at the scene of the fire when he
collapsed of a heart attack and died. He was 55 years old and in his
20th year of service.
Again, two and a half years later, on July 9, 1965 another Firefighter
from Truck 6 died of a heart attack. Firefighter Morris G. Hunt was
fighting a six-alarm fire in a 3-story loft building located at 1215
Leadenhall Street. After fighting the fire for about an hour in the 90
degree heat and very high humidity from the rooftop of the Furst
Brothers building, Hunt came down the ladder and was seen sitting on
the fire truck. He then got up and started to cross the street when he
collapsed to the ground.
Battalion Chief Martin McMahon rushed to him and administered
mouth-to-mouth recuscitation along with heart massage but to no
avail. He was transported to the hospital where he was pronounced
dead. He was 32 years old with 9 years in the service.
On June 30, 1971 Floodlight 2 was relocated from Hose Company 1 to
Truck 6 quarters due to Hose 1 being disbanded.
On May 20, 1974 Floodlight 2 was redesignated as Reserve Floodlight.
On July 17, 1974 a new diesel powered Seagrave model PT double
banked tiller ladder truck was placed in service. It had a 100’ metal
hydraulic aerial ladder with a cab-forward 5 man cab and a fixed
enclosed tiller seat. The previous 1954 American LaFrance was
reassigned to Reserve Truck 21.
On February 3, 1980 the first of a few fires that would strike the vacant
complex of the Imperial Packaging Corporation located at Race and
Ostend Streets and in the 100 block of W. Heath Street. There were
several 3, 4, and 5-story vacant warehouses in the area that would be
torched in the next few months. Around 5:00 PM Truck 6 house box 631
was struck out for 3-story vacant building found ablaze and quickly
went to 5-alarms and was brought under control in an hour. Two more
fires in vacant buildings on W. Heath Street occurred on March 8th and
16th. One was a single alarm and the other a two-alarmer. And finally
on June 29th the block-long 6-story vacant warehouse in the 1300
block of Race Street was burned down in a spectacular 12-alarm fire.
On March 26, 1987 a new Spartan Monarch 4-door fully enclosed cab
with a 110’ LTI aerial tiller truck was placed in service. It was delivered
in white with orange trim and fenders. The previous 1974 Seagrave
was reassigned as Reserve Truck 43.
In October of 1988 the Reserve Floodlight Wagon was placed out of
service and sold to a private collector.
On December 18, 2003, three days after Engine 26 moved in, Truck 6
moved from their 115 year old quarters on South Hanover Street to the
new Locust Point Station located at 1001 East Fort Avenue along with
Engine 26 and Medic Unit 5.
On May 19,2005 a used 2000 Seagrave model TT 100’ aerial tiller truck
was placed in service. It was formerly in service as Truck 21. The 1987
Spartan truck was reassigned to the Fire Academy as a training truck.
The photo to the left and the banner photo are the same truck. Above
is after new paint and lettering and, other improvements to the truck.
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