1888.—September 2. One of the largest fires and the greatest tragedies happened. It is noted as standing next in magnitude to the great Clay street fire. The tragic element is the death of seven firemen while fighting the flames. The first alarm at 4:24 A. M., from box 526, was followed in five minutes by a general alarm. The fire was discovered by the watchman of the Susque- hanna Ice Company, who was sitting in front of the company's office on Dover street, near Camden lane. He saw sparks coming over the roofs of the houses. Going to the corner of Cypress alley, he saw fire coming out of the rear windows of the warehouses on the east side of Sharp street, between Pratt and Lombard streets. The fire started in the five-story brick building, No. 109 South Sharp street, 117 feet deep, running through to Cypress alley. It was occupied by E. A. Prior & Co., importers and dealers in toys and notions. In less than ten minutes from the time the alarm was given, the fire had extended to the warehouses adjoining on the north and south. No. 1n on the south was occupied by Levy & Sons, manufacturers of straw goods; No. 107 on the north was occupied by Tabb Bros. & Dimmock, wholesale dealers in hardware. As the fire gained headway, explosions of fireworks and cartridges commenced, and kept up a continual roar, but the firemen stuck to their work. The firemen in the rear were fighting at close quarters to prevent the conflagration from extending to the warehouses fronting on Hanover street. They were successful in these efforts.
While some of the members of No. 2 Hook and Ladder Company were on the top floor of the four-story warehouse No. 105 Sharp street, occupied by Winkelmann & Co., wholesale druggists, cutting a hole through the wall so that a stream of water could be thrown into No. 107, the wall of No. 107 fell upon the roof above the firemen. Like an avalanche, the roof and every floor in No. 105 went crashing downward to the cellar, carrying the helpless firemen to death, and setting fire to the ruins. As the dust cleared away, John W. Kelly, of No. 2 Truck, who had been on the stairs about the second story, was seen on the cornice over the door. He was taken down and found to be badly cut about the face and head, and his body was badly bruised. The firemen who were working on Sharp street immediately began a search among the ruins. August Eck was found pinned in the ruins. While the men were working to relieve him, he complained that his feet were burning. After two hours' work he was released. Although terribly bruised, he was not seriously injured. During the day the bodies of Harry Walker, George Kerns and Hiram A. McAfee (a brother of the present chief engineer), of No. 7 Engine Company, who were in the building at the time of the accident, and George Bowers and Patrick J. Ryan, of No. 2 Hook and Ladder Company, were found. Two days later, the members of No. r Hook and Ladder Company found the remains of John Acomb and Thomas Wagner, of No. 2 Hook and Ladder Company.
~ from "Official history of the fire department of the city of Baltimore" by Clarence H. Forrest (1898)
While some of the members of No. 2 Hook and Ladder Company were on the top floor of the four-story warehouse No. 105 Sharp street, occupied by Winkelmann & Co., wholesale druggists, cutting a hole through the wall so that a stream of water could be thrown into No. 107, the wall of No. 107 fell upon the roof above the firemen. Like an avalanche, the roof and every floor in No. 105 went crashing downward to the cellar, carrying the helpless firemen to death, and setting fire to the ruins. As the dust cleared away, John W. Kelly, of No. 2 Truck, who had been on the stairs about the second story, was seen on the cornice over the door. He was taken down and found to be badly cut about the face and head, and his body was badly bruised. The firemen who were working on Sharp street immediately began a search among the ruins. August Eck was found pinned in the ruins. While the men were working to relieve him, he complained that his feet were burning. After two hours' work he was released. Although terribly bruised, he was not seriously injured. During the day the bodies of Harry Walker, George Kerns and Hiram A. McAfee (a brother of the present chief engineer), of No. 7 Engine Company, who were in the building at the time of the accident, and George Bowers and Patrick J. Ryan, of No. 2 Hook and Ladder Company, were found. Two days later, the members of No. r Hook and Ladder Company found the remains of John Acomb and Thomas Wagner, of No. 2 Hook and Ladder Company.
~ from "Official history of the fire department of the city of Baltimore" by Clarence H. Forrest (1898)
1888.—September 2. One of the largest fires and the greatest tragedies happened. It is noted as standing next in magnitude to the great Clay street fire. The tragic element is the death of seven firemen while fighting the flames. The first alarm at 4:24 A. M., from box 526, was followed in five minutes by a general alarm. The fire was discovered by the watchman of the Susque- hanna Ice Company, who was sitting in front of the company's office on Dover street, near Camden lane. He saw sparks coming over the roofs of the houses. Going to the corner of Cypress alley, he saw fire coming out of the rear windows of the warehouses on the east side of Sharp street, between Pratt and Lombard streets. The fire started in the five-story brick building, No. 109 South Sharp street, 117 feet deep, running through to Cypress alley. It was occupied by E. A. Prior & Co., importers and dealers in toys and notions. In less than ten minutes from the time the alarm was given, the fire had extended to the warehouses adjoining on the north and south. No. 1n on the south was occupied by Levy & Sons, manufacturers of straw goods; No. 107 on the north was occupied by Tabb Bros. & Dimmock, wholesale dealers in hardware. As the fire gained headway, explosions of fireworks and cartridges commenced, and kept up a continual roar, but the firemen stuck to their work. The firemen in the rear were fighting at close quarters to prevent the conflagration from extending to the warehouses fronting on Hanover street. They were successful in these efforts.
While some of the members of No. 2 Hook and Ladder Company were on the top floor of the four-story warehouse No. 105 Sharp street, occupied by Winkelmann & Co., wholesale druggists, cutting a hole through the wall so that a stream of water could be thrown into No. 107, the wall of No. 107 fell upon the roof above the firemen. Like an avalanche, the roof and every floor in No. 105 went crashing downward to the cellar, carrying the helpless firemen to death, and setting fire to the ruins. As the dust cleared away, John W. Kelly, of No. 2 Truck, who had been on the stairs about the second story, was seen on the cornice over the door. He was taken down and found to be badly cut about the face and head, and his body was badly bruised. The firemen who were working on Sharp street immediately began a search among the ruins. August Eck was found pinned in the ruins. While the men were working to relieve him, he complained that his feet were burning. After two hours' work he was released. Although terribly bruised, he was not seriously injured. During the day the bodies of Harry Walker, George Kerns and Hiram A. McAfee (a brother of the present chief engineer), of No. 7 Engine Company, who were in the building at the time of the accident, and George Bowers and Patrick J. Ryan, of No. 2 Hook and Ladder Company, were found. Two days later, the members of No. r Hook and Ladder Company found the remains of John Acomb and Thomas Wagner, of No. 2 Hook and Ladder Company.
~ from "Official history of the fire department of the city of Baltimore" by Clarence H. Forrest (1898)
While some of the members of No. 2 Hook and Ladder Company were on the top floor of the four-story warehouse No. 105 Sharp street, occupied by Winkelmann & Co., wholesale druggists, cutting a hole through the wall so that a stream of water could be thrown into No. 107, the wall of No. 107 fell upon the roof above the firemen. Like an avalanche, the roof and every floor in No. 105 went crashing downward to the cellar, carrying the helpless firemen to death, and setting fire to the ruins. As the dust cleared away, John W. Kelly, of No. 2 Truck, who had been on the stairs about the second story, was seen on the cornice over the door. He was taken down and found to be badly cut about the face and head, and his body was badly bruised. The firemen who were working on Sharp street immediately began a search among the ruins. August Eck was found pinned in the ruins. While the men were working to relieve him, he complained that his feet were burning. After two hours' work he was released. Although terribly bruised, he was not seriously injured. During the day the bodies of Harry Walker, George Kerns and Hiram A. McAfee (a brother of the present chief engineer), of No. 7 Engine Company, who were in the building at the time of the accident, and George Bowers and Patrick J. Ryan, of No. 2 Hook and Ladder Company, were found. Two days later, the members of No. r Hook and Ladder Company found the remains of John Acomb and Thomas Wagner, of No. 2 Hook and Ladder Company.
~ from "Official history of the fire department of the city of Baltimore" by Clarence H. Forrest (1898)
Inscription
Lost his life at the Sharp Str. fire
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