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100 Years Later, Lessons from a Multiple LODD Still Hold True
100 Years Later, Lessons from a Multiple LODD Still Hold True
On Dec. 21-22, 1910, the Friedlander Leather Remnants factory in Philadelphia went up in flames. Although firefighters responded quickly and the department had the fire under control within an hour, the building was compromised, and the firefighters and police officers operating on scene were caught in the ensuing collapse. The collapse killed 11 firefighters and one police officer and injured numerous others, including the fire chief.
Although 100 years have passed since this tragic event, its lessons about structural collapse, situational awareness, cold weather firefighting, and communication on the fireground are still valid today.
The Incident
The five-story factory blaze started in the lower level of the building and spread to all floors, burning through the roof in a short time. Each floor was reported to be about 1,600 square feet.
A New York Times report from the scene noted that shortly before 2100 HRS, a column of flame arose from the factory basement, spreading the fire to all five floors, each of which was estimated at 1,600 square feet. The department called a third-alarm response that brought 18 engines and 6 trucks to the scene. However, cold-weather conditions prevailed, and most of the hydrants were frozen over. At first, only two lines were able to produce water.
About a dozen firefighters were on the roof when it began to sag. The chief of the department noted the sagging conditions and ordered the firefighters off the roof, but it’s not clear they heard him. He then went into the building to try to rescue them, when the walls collapsed.
As the roof collapsed, it fanned the flames, creating a great column of fire even as it took down the roof firefighters. At least 20 men were trapped in the collapse; the chief was one of them, and the first to be rescued. He immediately began directing the search-and-rescue operation; many firefighters were pulled alive from the collapse. Other reports indicated that a second collapse occurred later, when the north wall of the factory came down, trapping police officers who were working in the ruins.
The building was 58 years old and inspectors attributed the collapse partly to the age of the structure, according to another New York Times report the day after the fire. That report also indicated that the ruins of the structure were frozen solid, with several firefighters’ bodies still inside. The article said the department suspected arson due to how quickly the fire spread even though the factory’s normal contents weren’t inflammable.
Copyright © Elsevier Inc., a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. SUBSCRIBE to FIRERESCUE
On Dec. 21-22, 1910, the Friedlander Leather Remnants factory in Philadelphia went up in flames. Although firefighters responded quickly and the department had the fire under control within an hour, the building was compromised, and the firefighters and police officers operating on scene were caught in the ensuing collapse. The collapse killed 11 firefighters and one police officer and injured numerous others, including the fire chief.
Although 100 years have passed since this tragic event, its lessons about structural collapse, situational awareness, cold weather firefighting, and communication on the fireground are still valid today.
The Incident
The five-story factory blaze started in the lower level of the building and spread to all floors, burning through the roof in a short time. Each floor was reported to be about 1,600 square feet.
A New York Times report from the scene noted that shortly before 2100 HRS, a column of flame arose from the factory basement, spreading the fire to all five floors, each of which was estimated at 1,600 square feet. The department called a third-alarm response that brought 18 engines and 6 trucks to the scene. However, cold-weather conditions prevailed, and most of the hydrants were frozen over. At first, only two lines were able to produce water.
About a dozen firefighters were on the roof when it began to sag. The chief of the department noted the sagging conditions and ordered the firefighters off the roof, but it’s not clear they heard him. He then went into the building to try to rescue them, when the walls collapsed.
As the roof collapsed, it fanned the flames, creating a great column of fire even as it took down the roof firefighters. At least 20 men were trapped in the collapse; the chief was one of them, and the first to be rescued. He immediately began directing the search-and-rescue operation; many firefighters were pulled alive from the collapse. Other reports indicated that a second collapse occurred later, when the north wall of the factory came down, trapping police officers who were working in the ruins.
The building was 58 years old and inspectors attributed the collapse partly to the age of the structure, according to another New York Times report the day after the fire. That report also indicated that the ruins of the structure were frozen solid, with several firefighters’ bodies still inside. The article said the department suspected arson due to how quickly the fire spread even though the factory’s normal contents weren’t inflammable.
Copyright © Elsevier Inc., a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. SUBSCRIBE to FIRERESCUE
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