HISTORY
History of Firefighting in Philadelphia
A Brief History of Fires & Firefighting in Philadelphia
- Philadelphia, as one of the oldest cities settled by European immigrants, has a long history with both fires and fire prevention. In a pre-electric society, fire was a necessity, despite the danger it presented. Ben Franklin established the first volunteer fire department in the city, the Union Fire Company [Wikipedia], on December 7, 1736. Unlike Mutual Fire Societies in other cities, such as Boston, the Union Fire Company protected everyone equally, not just members of the company. Volunteer members paid for their own equipment, including leather buckets, hoses, and gear.
- Other volunteer fire companies came into being throughout the next century, eventually gathering under the umbrella of a city fire department. The City Fire Department was made up of volunteer companies that were under the direction of city councils in exchange for subsidies.
- The Philadelphia Fire Department [Wikipedia], the city’s first paid and municipally controlled fire department, officially started service on March 15, 1871, after being established via city ordinance.
- At the turn of the 20th century, the city’s existing water supplies were no longer adequate to protect growing buildings in the business districts, and insurance companies were refusing to offer new policies. In 1901, Philadelphia began installing a high-pressure fire system to cover downtown to Broad, Race, and Walnut Streets. When the system was completed in 1903, there were 26 miles of piping and 434 hydrants available.
- In 1909, the high-pressure fire system was expanded to Northern Philadelphia, Port Richmond, and Kensington to cover the textile districts. More pumping stations and reservoirs were added to the system, eventually totaling 56 miles of pipe. In 2005, the system was decommissioned due to years of neglect and disrepair.
Notable Fires in Philadelphia
- Burning of St. Michael’s and St. Augustine Roman Catholic Churches, Seminary of the Sisters of Charity, and Catholic homes during the Philadelphia Nativist Riots, May 6–8, 1844 [Wikipedia]. An anti-Catholic nativist sentiment was stirred up in Philadelphia, particularly in response to increasing Irish Catholic immigration. Protestant nativists gave incendiary speeches and rallied in Irish Catholic areas, provoking the locals to respond. At least fourteen people were killed during the riots, and approximately $150,000 in damage was done, including the destruction of the Hibernia fire station. The damage is equivalent to approximately $4.7 million in 2016 USD.
- Friedlander Leather Remnants at 1114 Bodine St., December 21, 1910 [Firehouse.com]. While battling a fire in a five-story leather factory, a sudden collapse trapped 36 firefighters inside. Rescuers worked to free the trapped firefighters for two hours when a second collapse occurred, bringing the total of trapped persons (both firefighters and police) to 51. Thirteen firefighters and one police officer lost their lives, and many more were injured.
- Fretz Building Fire, 12th and Susquehanna, January 1, 1963. The fire destroyed fifty homes and multiple businesses, as well as the damage to the eight-story Fretz Building, but there were no injuries. It was the largest twelve-alarm fire in the city’s history.
- Girard Point Gulf Refinery Fire, August 17, 1975 [Wikipedia]. The oil refineries of Philadelphia are no strangers to fires. The Girard Point refinery was built in 1905, encompassing 723 acres against the Schuylkill River. In the early morning hours of August 17th, hydrocarbon vapors ignited near Tank 231, eventually causing the tank to explode. Another nearby tank exploded; the fire ended up nearly destroying the entire refinery and causing the deaths of eight firefighters. A fire at an ARCO refinery a few months later helped spur changes to fire protection systems for refineries. Other notable refinery fires occurred in 1931, 1932, 1960, and 1970; after the deadly 1975 fires, improved fire suppression made further fires less deadly. There were still refinery fires in 1977, 1988, 1998, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2015, 2016, and 2019 [Inquirer].
- One Meridian Plaza, February 23, 1991 [Wikipedia]. Perhaps the most famous fire in Philadelphia’s history, and certainly the most well-known and impactful of fires in recent memory. The 38-story office building was completed in 1972 under a 1949 fire code, which meant it was lacking many of the fire protection requirements that we take for granted today. At the time of the fire, the building was being renovated to meet current safety requirements. Linseed-soaked rags ignited on the 22nd floor around 8:20 p.m. The floor was not entirely covered by smoke detectors, so the fire had a chance to spread unchecked before the alarm went to the three people in the building. Although a security guard called the alarm company, no one called the Philadelphia Fire Department. A passer-by who saw the smoke and fire called the PFD a few minutes later. The fire climbed up the outside of the building, breaking windows and accessing higher floors. In total, it destroyed 8 floors until a sprinkler system on the 30th floor contained the fire at approximately 3 a.m. Several issues, including the lack of operation of an emergency generator, errors in PRV installation, lack of labeling on stairwell doors, penetrations in fire walls due to renovation, and other confounds, caused grievous trouble for the firefighters. Ultimately, three firefighters lost their lives.
- Fairmount PHA Apartment Fire, January 5, 2022 [Wikipedia]. Overshadowed by a fire in the Bronx just days later, this fire began when a child was playing with a lighter near a Christmas tree. Of the smoke detectors in the apartments, only the one in the basement was working. The others had their batteries removed. Twelve people from the family living in the apartment died in the fire. One child and one adult survived, although critically injured.