Lessons from the Fireground- Third Avenue Collapse FDNY 1956
4065 Third Avenue Bronx (NY) April 4, 1956
FDNY- Box 4-4- 2904
Bronx (NY) Box 2904 was struck at 20:40 hours on April 4, 1956 for a reported fire in the basement that had communicated vertically into the first floor and had spread into the wall voids.
Building Construction: One story 125′ by 75′, Ordinary construction Type III Single Story
Occupancy: Commercial occupancy – furniture store and artificial flower factory
Location of fire: Fire started in the cellar and spread up the walls
Collapse: Brick Roof Parapet with subsequent attached marquee collapse
Entire linear street side parapet failure and collapse taking the 20 ft. x 15 ft. overhanging marquee collapsing into the sidewalk where companies were operating.
The subsequent collapse trapped numerous firefighters in the large collapse zone, resulted in six (6) FDNY firefighter line-of-duty deaths (LODD), with an additional thirteen (13) other firefighters injured.
Fire operations went to four alarms (Box 4-4- 2904) and involved forty pieces of apparatus and over 150 firefighters.
Remembrance
- Lieutenant John Molloy, Engine 48
- Firefighter Edward Carroll, Engine 48
- Firefighter Arthur Hanson Ladder 44
- Firefighter Frederick Hellauer Engine 48
- Firefighter William Hoolan Ladder 44
- Firefighter Charles Infosino Assistant Chief’s Aide Engine 18
60th Anniversary: FDNY Honor and Remembrance
On Monday April 4, 2016, the Uniformed Firefighter Association of Greater New York will honor the 60TH ANNIV. OF 3RD AVENUE COLLAPSE, PLAQUE UNVEILING & WREATH LAYING, at 11am, the Department will commemorate the 60th Anniversary of the Third Avenue Collapse, at which six members of the Department made the Supreme Sacrifice on April 4th, 1956.
The ceremony will take place at the location of the fire, 4085 Third Avenue, Bronx, NY. All off-duty members and their families are invited to attend. Members are requested to attend in dress uniform.
For further reading: W N Y F, July, 1956 /vol.17 No.3
From NYFD.com: http://nyfd.com/3rd_ave_4-4-56.html
FireEngineering.com: http://www.fireengineering.com/articles/print/volume-155/issue-11/features/parapet-collapsea-serious-danger-for-firefighters.html
Uniformed Firefighter Association of Greater New York: http://www.ufanyc.org/lodd/
FGL Basement Fires: http://www.firegroundleadership.com/2015/02/12/operational-considerations-for-residential-basement-fires/
Collapse Zones: http://www.firehouse.com/article/12069221/collapse-zones-building-characteristics-occupancy-risks
NIOSH/ CDC: http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/wp-solutions/2014-120/pdfs/2014-120.pdf
http://www.commandsafety.com/2013/03/30/identifying-establishing-and-managing-collapse-zones/