Firefighting and Rescue 34 Years ago....

[gleaman2]

Here is an old Bausman F.C. helmet I own.

[BJF]

Here is a photo of the old Ladder B from Lancaster City. Anyone know where in the City this fire was?



(Greg Leaman Photo)

[gleaman2]

This was Bechtold's Plumbing fire at the intersection of Coral, Crystal and Fourth streets. This is off of the 700 block of Manor Street. This looks similar to photos I took. I'll search my archive for additional photos.

[BJF]

Greg,

It probably is your photo. Nice picture. I will email you some other photos I found, I'm not sure who took them, maybe you can tell me if they are yours or not.

[LTE642A]

Originally Posted by gleaman2

This was Bechtold's Plumbing fire at the intersection of Coral, Crystal and Fourth streets. This is off of the 700 block of Manor Street. This looks similar to photos I took. I'll search my archive for additional photos.

Hi Greg,
You are right on the location. A small bit of info though. The building that burnt was actually a "Old Barn" for the former Speidles Meat Market that fronted Manor St. The barn was where they actually killed and gutted the livestock for the butcher shop up front. Anyway, we did save the foundation. It's still there. This fire was Ca. 1983/1984. Sue Warchola and Charlie Huber had just come on the job when this happened.

[LTE642A]

Originally Posted by Woody68

On Wed Feb 8, 1995 at around 01:14 am. City Police on patrol observed heavy smoke in the area but could not pinpoint a source of where the smoke was coming from. Engine 1 was dispatched for an investigation of smoke in the area. Engine 1 arrived with nothing evident and checked the area with City Police. Engine 1 cleared the scene at 01:27 am.


At 02:51 AM, a passerby reported heavy smoke from the basement of the Reifsnyders Piano and Organs building at 31 S Queen Street. City Fire units arrived with a working fire in the basement that had extended to the first and second floors. Crews attempted to enter through the front but found a hole in the first floor. Crews also attempted to access the basement by a street grate and was blocked by a piano.

The second floor of the structure eventually collapsed into the basement, 25 to 30 Pianos were on the second floor, one being a $70,000 grand piano belonging to the Lancaster Symphony.

Around 05:00 AM, a general alarm was sounded for the bureau(I don't believe that is accurate as I think it was struck sooner then that) Lancaster City Fire was assisted by, Lancaster Township, West Lancaster, Lafayette and I believe Eden Fire companies. This fire was definatley one of the coldest I have ever been on. I think the fire also extended into a small warehouse to the rear that was owned by Bon-Ton I believe..

Some interesting facts;

The first ever LODD for Lancaster City occured at 41 S Queen Street at the Loebs Furniture Store on December 20, 1893 (which at the time of the Reifsnyders fire was the site of Oblenders). FF Davis Kitch was 33 years old.

The Reifsnyders fire cost the city at that time, $15,500. $11,000 in Overtime and $4,500 for fuel and damaged equipment.


(Sources are articles from the Lancaster Intell and New Era from my scrapbook I have kept over the years)

Hi Woody,
Ah Davis Kitch. The Loebs Fire. Just a brief tid bit of info. After researching this with another former City FF a few years ago. We reviewed the Old City Fire Logs for the era in question and nowhere was there a entry for a fire at Loebs. Continuing the research I did locate Kitch's Obit. In the obit they say he died of Typhoid fever but, they also claimed that he hadn't been able to work for the year previous to his demise because of not being right after fighting a fire. His family always claimed he died because of the fire . I'll find his obit and post it.