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New Haven Fire Department Line of Duty Deaths The following information was researched and collected from the Department Archives by Battalion Chief Ed Flynn who currently serves as the historian for the New Haven Fire Department and is also a member of Box 22 Associates. On October 24, 1852, Volunteer Bevil Sperry, age twenty-five, a member of Engine Company No. 5 was killed at a fire in Simon Goodman's grocery store on State Street near Elm Street. He was inside the burning building, directing a stream of water from the engine. The supports gave way that held the chimney and he was caught in the rein of bricks and instantly killed. Chief Engineer James T. Hemingway
June 15, 1852 On March 2, 1852 Chief Engineer James T. Hemingway, 44, while directing and fighting a fire at Flight's Store on Dwight Street was seriously injured and died on June 15th. He is buried in historic Grove Street Cemetery where a monument in his honor was placed by his fire company. James B. T. Benjamin
January 1, 1858 On January 1, 1858, James B. T. Benjamin, a volunteer firemen responding to a fire with his company known as Crotan Engine No. 1 was run over and fatally injured while on the way to the fire. Benjamin was running in place on the drag ropes on the sidewalk where the company had moved to because of the poor condition of the street. He slipped on the frosted bricks and met his fate as the wheels of the heavy equipment ran over him. On February 9, 1858 volunteer William Miles was shot and killed in a riot between the firemen and Yale students. Engine #2 was located in close proximity to Yale College and there had grown up a bitter feud between the two. Members of the Crocodile Club, an organization of undergraduates, claimed that water was thrown on them as they passed the house of Engine No. 2 on High Street. Words led to more words and then a desperate fight. Fists gave way to pistols, daggers, hose wrenches and clubs, all which were freely used. On the morning of May 14, 1878: Hoseman Harry M. Brooks of Steamer No. 4 died from injuries received from a falling brick wall at a factory fire at S. Peck & Company, 81 Day Street. Brooks was fighting the multiple alarm fire with members of his company from an adjoining barn roof when the factory wall fell towards them. Brooks fell from the roof and suffered a severe scalp wound and internal injuries as he struck a fence rail when he fell from the roof. He died later that day. On July 4, 1888 Callman Edwin L. Hubbell, 33, of Steamer Co. No 2, while fighting a fire at the Farren Brothers’ Spring Bed Manufactory on 4 Artizan Street was killed when he was thrown from a ladder while manning a hose line. This unfortunate accident was caused by the very dense smoke that completely enveloped the men on the ladder and the great water pressure that was at the time of the accident being put upon the hose and which came suddenly upon the pipemen on the ladder by the second line from the steamer bursting. William L. Cooper permanent hoseman of Steamer Company No. 2 fell from the same ladder and sustained a severe fracture of an arm. Chief Albert C. Hendricks issued General Order #5, dated July 6, 1888 informing the City and Department of the untimely death in the line of duty. George A. Dennison
January 26, 1893 George A. Dennison, call hoseman of Steamer Company No. 5, fell with a ladder at a fire on January 23, 1893 at 265 Ferry Street. The alarm Box #81 came in at 7:45 a.m. to the wood dwelling bringing Steamer Companies 4, 5, 8 and Truck #3 to the scene. He died January 26th from the effects of the injuries he received in the fall. Walter P. Hovey, night-telephone operator of the New Haven Fire Department, was found dead at his post on July 12, 1899. Hovey had reported in at 6 p.m. the previous evening for a twelve hour shift. When his relief reported in at 5:20 a.m. he found Hovey unresponsive in a chair. He suffered a fatal heart attack. Hovey was appointed a member of the Department in 1875 and assigned to Hook & Ladder #3. In 1886 he was kicked by one of the Department horses and never fully recovered from the injury which haunted him for the rest of his career. On November 20, 1899, Jeremiah F. Regan, 33, Hoseman of Steamer Company 8 was thrown from the hose wagon at 12:30 o'clock at James and Lombard Streets and instantly killed; death resulting from a crushed chest. Regan was acting as driver of the hose wagon and was on his way to a fire on Ferry Street when the accident occurred. William Reilly
February 19, 1901 Frederick W. Hale
February 19, 1901 Frank Williams
February 19, 1901 On February 19, 1901, Captain Joseph Condren commanding officer of
Steamer No. 2 and colleagues Firemen William Reilly, Frederick W. Hale, and
Frank Williams all died in a major fire in New Haven. The four men responding
with Steamer Co. #2 on a 2nd alarm of fire at the vacant Judson Packing House
located between Winchester Avenue and the old Canal Road died when a wall of
brick and mortar and flaming timbers came crashing down on them.
The men moved closer to the building and a doorway so a stream could be
directed into the blazing interior. Seconds before the disaster Chief Rufus
Fancher had ordered the men to move back from the swaying wall.
Rescue work began immediately as firefighters armed with shovels, axes
and poles endeavored to remove the pile of brick and stone from the buried
firefighters. Deep in the debris
were the burnt and crushed bodies of the four firefighters. Joseph P. Robert of Engine Company No.12 in Crown Street lost his
life on August 7,1906 front of No. 7 Engine House on Water Street after a heroic
effort to stop three runaway fire horses attached to a large fire supply wagon.
Robert was on the driver's seat next to Driver James Kavanaugh of Engine
No. 12 and they were going with a load of rubbish from No. 12 house to the Water
Street dump. At State and Water Streets the three horses attached to the wagon became
frightened and started up suddenly. The
wheels of the wagon caught in the groove of the trolley tracks at this corner
and Kavanaugh was thrown to the stone pavement directly in front of a trolley
car in Water Street. The reins
broke and then Robert climbed to the pole from the seat while the horses were
galloping across the Water Street Railroad Bridge. From the pole Robert climbed onto the back of the lead horse and caught hold of the right line in time to prevent the horse from turning into No. 7's Engine Company driveway which leads to the supply department where the horses had taken the supply wagon less than half an hour before. Robert then leaned to the right in an attempt to catch the left line which was dangling from the bit. He didn’t see a trolley pole, directly in front of No. 7's house and his head struck it squarely. He suffered a skull fracture and his ribs were all broken. He died later in the hospital. On May 2, 1908 the heater in the basement of Fire Engine House #4 at 40 Saint John Street, exploded at 8:24 p.m. and severely injured Lieutenant Frank Conlan, age 53. He was taken to New Haven Hospital in critical condition and died after undergoing surgery. His left leg was amputated near the thigh. He received severe lacerations to the stomach. Lieutenant William Dougherty
April 13, 1910 John E. Buckley
April 13, 1910 James Mortel
April 13, 1910 Thomas J. McGrath
April 13, 1910 James Cullen
April 13, 1910 On April 13, 1910 six members of the Department were killed (burned to death) when fire broke out in the early morning hours at the chair shop at the New Haven Jail on Whalley Avenue and Goffe Street. All the firefighters were trapped in the building when doors locked behind them as they were seeking out prisoners who had already been safely evacuated from the building. Twelve other firefighters were injured, some severely burned. Killed were Firefighters John Buckley, James Mortel, Thomas McGrath, James Cullen, Lieutenant William Dougherty and Captain Charles Chapman. The remains of three of the victims are interred in the Benevolent Burial grounds at the Firemen's Monument in Evergreen Cemetery. All the men were burned to death. Hoseman James F. Weldon, 43, suffered a skull fracture and lost his life as a major fire swept through the railroad depot, located at the foot of Meadow Street, on May 10, 1918. Weldon was struck by falling debris and died May 11th at 4 a.m. in New Haven Hospital. He and three other firemen were injured by a falling cornice at the railroad station ruins. His skull fractured and suffering from abrasions, lacerations and internal injuries Weldon’s injuries were characterized as likely to be fatal when he was brought to the hospital. Efforts on the part of surgeons accomplished little but to lessen his suffering. Weldon served the Fire Department for nineteen years. Frederick Cofrancesco, 28, hoseman of Engine Company 11 was thrown from the apparatus when it struck a curb at Howard & Congress Avenues while responding to a fire on November 21, 1924. He suffered a fractured skull and died in New Haven Hospital on November 26th. On July 10, 1925 Firefighter George Porter, 45, died from the
effects of a stroke he suffered while on duty. He had been the driver of Hook
& Ladder Company #4 since 1911. His death is due directly to the effects of
a general shock suffered while on duty December 23, 1923. Thomas J. Durkin, 26, assigned to Hook & Ladder No. 4 was pulled unconscious from a fire at 148 Davenport Avenue on Saturday morning October 24, 1925. Durkin a substitute fireman was riding with Engine Company #11 at the time and had gone to the third floor attic area to ventilate the structure. He was found in front of a closet door which fire officials believe he opened looking for a way out before he collapsed. Durkin only on the job two years died of smoke suffocation. On September 29, 1927 Henry Eckert, 34, a member of the department
since 1919, was injured at a fire and went off duty.
He died four days later, October 3rd, as a result of his
injuries. Edward P. Hermance
November 23, 1928 Edward Hermance, 66, a 42 year veteran of the Department was stricken at Fire Headquarters with a heart attack on November 23, 1928 and died shortly after at Saint Raphael Hospital. He had served with five different companies during his career and was transferred to Fire Headquarters as a custodian on November 1, 1928 Hoseman William Cleary, 44, of Engine Co. #12, died on January 8, 1930 of injuries suffered on January 7th at an ammonia leak in the Meat Market of E. Schoenberger & Sons, 360 State Street. Cleary was in the basement with other members of his company to control the leak when the ammonia tank exploded. He was struck in the head with a flying piece of metal and found unconscious in the toxic ammonia atmosphere. Two years before on January 8, 1928 he was badly injured at a fire in the Van Dyke plant and was out of action for six months. On March 27,
1931, FF William Richardson, age 46, the driver of Engine Company 6 responded to
a fire in the morning after a long shift. Returning
to the station he complained of chest pains before going off duty.
He died of a heart attack that day at home. Lieutenant William J. Langan, commanding officer of Engine Company No. 12, died November 21, 1932 at 3:34 o'clock in New Haven Hospital as a result of injuries suffered when he was thrown from the hose wagon on which he was riding. The accident occurred on Orange Street near Crown as the fire department was answering an alarm at 2:29 p.m. Langan, an eighteen year veteran of the Fire Department, died in surgery at New Haven Hospital from a fractured skull. On Wednesday, August 15, 1934, Captain Irving A. Hamilton, 65,
died suddenly at Engine Company #9 Fire Station on Ellsworth Avenue. Hamilton was stricken just prior to eight in the morning the
victim of a heart attack. Captains
John King and Fred Hott in command of the day and night shift of the company
which were going on and off duty at the time, said Captain Hamilton entered the
quarters of the company shortly before 8 o’clock. He cheerfully greeted members of the company and walked to
the side of his official car which at night is customarily kept in the fire
house. As he reached the side of
the car Captain Hamilton collapsed. Hamilton a permanent member of the Department since 1897 served with several companies during his thirty-six year career. He was promoted to Lieutenant in 1920 and advanced to Captain in 1925. He was appointed a Deputy Fire Marshal in 1931. Richard R. Lyons, 40, of 84 Howe Street, a Hoseman assigned to Engine Company No. 9, died on November 18, 1936 in New Haven Hospital from a head injury he suffered at noon when he fell while unreeling a hose at a minor blaze in a shed at the rear of 47 Miller Street. Semi-conscious upon admittance to the hospital, Lyons quickly lapsed into a coma and died from an intracranial hemorrhage and skull fracture. Captain Thomas J. Delaney, 46, an officer of Engine Company No. 12 for eight years, died at 11:25 A.M. August 10, 1937 in Saint Raphael's Hospital. Delaney, a 23 veteran of the Fire Department, had entered a smoke-charged building on College Street three weeks before and was exposed to acrid fumes from the smoke caused by burning sulfur candles. Eugene F. Sullivan, 48, a member of the fire department for the past 14 years, died September 25, 1937 of a heart attack. Sullivan was stricken at his home and died shortly after. In March 1932, while a member of Truck Company 3, he was badly injured when the apparatus became involved in a smash-up while en route to a fire. When he returned to duty he was assigned as an inspector on the Fire Marshal's staff. Thomas F. McCurry, 36, a substitute firefighter for eleven years was stricken the morning of February 5, 1938 while on duty at Engine Company 17. McCurry died of a heart attack before medical aid arrived. Hoseman John M. McGarry, 38, of 436 Poplar Street died March 9, 1941 in St. Raphael Hospital of injuries sustained when he and three other firemen were pinned beneath heavy timbers when a snow-packed roof collapsed as they wet down ruins of a fire which broke out a one-story building of the New England Auto Body Works at 188-190-192 Brewery Street. McGarry, a member of the fire department for eighteen years was assigned to Engine Company #7. He died from head injuries. Captain Sylvestor J. McNerney, 51, a twenty-three year veteran of the New Haven Fire Department died in New Haven Hospital as a result of injuries suffered at a fire on October 6, 1941. McNerney had just finished moving hose lines and was directing traffic around the hose when he was struck by a private vehicle which was passing the dump fire on Kimberly Avenue. He was treated for compound fractures and placed in an oxygen tent after surgery where he took a turn for the worse and died. On March 10, 1943, Ernest A.
Koelle. 45, assigned to duty with the Fire Marshal’s Office while on
inspection duty with another member of the office, responded to the cry of a
woman running out of her Blatchley Avenue home yelling “fire”.
Both men raced to the upper floors now filling with smoke where they
found a fire in progress in a refrigerator motor that was extending to the wall.
When Koelle left the building he collapsed on the sidewalk and died of a
heart attack. He was a twenty year veteran. At a major fire on December 5, 1946 at Jack Halprin's Lumber Yard - 679 State Street, Deputy Chief William J. Killoy, in charge of the fire scene for several hours, suffered a heart attack at about 3:25 P.M. and died. He was sixty-five years old and had been a member of the Fire Department since April 4, 1906. Anthony Kuziel
November 23, 1952 Firefighter Anthony Kuziel, 27, a member of Engine Company 11, lost a battle with severe injuries he sustained when he fell 35 feet from a ladder while fighting a four-alarm fire in a Chestnut Street factory on November 12th. He was in critical condition from the time he entered Saint Raphael Hospital with a compound fracture of the left arm and spinal and chest injuries. He underwent emergency surgery and died thirteen days later (November 23rd). A collision at the intersection of Grand Avenue and East Street, on Tuesday, December 15, 1953, between Engine Company 4 and the Deputy Chief's vehicle resulted in the death of Captain Edward T. Turbett, 52, who was thrown from his seat and instantly killed. Both vehicles were responding to Box 816 at 9:22 a.m. that turned out to be a minor fire at the National Folding Box Company on James State. The fire equipment slammed into three private autos. Assistant Fire Chief George F. Lynch, who survived critical injuries received in a collision of departmental vehicles on December 15, 1953 died on June 1, 1954.in Saint Raphael Hospital. He was 57. He had been off duty since the crash of fire equipment nearly six months ago. He suffered fractures of the collarbone and ribs and punctures of the lungs and chest in the accident. While off duty he was stricken with pneumonia and a heart ailment all related to the December accident. Charles Mauro
February 14, 1959 Apparatus driver Charles Mauro, 63, and firefighter William T. Carey, 34, both with Engine Company #2 were killed in a collision when the apparatus collided with an automobile while responding to a fire on Saturday, February 14, 1959. At 7:07 a.m. Box #213 was dispatched to the Hotel Duncan on Chapel Street for the report of a structure fire in progress. Engine Company #2 was traveling west on Elm Street and at the corner of the Temple Street intersection, an automobile traveling south on Temple Street hit the right rear side, causing the apparatus to turn over throwing three firefighters on the rear step to the pavement. Driver Mauro suffered severe head injuries and died on the way to the Hospital. Firefighter Carey, with multiple injuries was removed to Saint Raphael's Hospital by ambulance. He died at the hospital at 12:01 P.M. Firefighter Walter F. Moore, 47, a 21-year veteran of the New Haven Fire Department collapsed at the corner of Whitney Avenue and Lawrence Street after responding to an alarm with Engine Company 8. Moore, the pump driver of Engine 8 had located at the fire hydrant where he was stricken and died of a heart attack on Sunday evening May 26, 1963 at approximately 9:45 PM. Firefighter Raymond McKiernan, 40, died January 31, 1964 after being stricken at Engine Company #16 on Lighthouse Road. McKiernan, a thirteen-year veteran complained of severe chest pains and was vomiting. He was relieved of duty at 10:20 a.m. returning to his home to make arrangements to see a doctor. He died of a heart attack at 4:30 p.m. On Sunday morning January 30, 1966 Captain William Greene, 60, commanding officer of Engine Company 4 at Central Station on Grand Avenue had been supervising and assisting in snow removal after a major storm. He was stricken in the kitchen shortly after the snow shoveling was completed. Members of Emergency Unit #1 assigned to the station came to his aid utilizing the Batrow Electronic Resuscitator and E & J Resuscitator. Captain Greene, a 37-year veteran of the Department, died in route to the hospital. Firefighter Thomas Langley, 43, a twenty-year veteran of the Department, collapsed and died at Central Station, 952 Grand Avenue on May 10, 1967. Langley and members of Engine Co. #2, Eng. Co. #4, Hook & Ladder Co. #1 and Emergency Unit #1 were testing hose. While dragging a length of wet 2 1/2" hose over his shoulder to the hose tower for drying Langley suddenly dropped to the floor unconscious. Efforts to revive him with the E & J resuscitator were started. Langley was taken to Saint Raphael Hospital by ambulance and was dead on arrival of a heart attack. A two-alarm fire at 910 State Street at the warehouse of the Roessler Meat Packing Plant on November 18, 1967 resulted in serious injuries to Lieutenant James Dillon, 44, of Hook & Ladder Company #6. While traversing along the rooftop Lieutenant Dillon fell through the skylight and landed twenty feet below on the concrete floor. He sustained fractures to his ankles and legs and internal injuries to his body. He was transported to Saint Raphael Hospital and remained in intensive care until his condition took a turn for the worse. He died on December 4, 1967. On Sunday, November 14, 1971, Inspector Frank Coppola, a twenty-two year veteran of the New Haven Fire Department died in the hospital. He had completed a full day of inspection on Friday, November 12th and returning to the Fire Marshal’s Office he complained of not feeling well and left for home. The following day he was admitted to the hospital where he succumbed to a heart attack. Firefighter John D. Mitchell, 46, died of a heart attack while operating the fire pump during a two alarm blaze at 46 Legion Avenue on October 8, 1974. Firefighters rescued nine persons at the two-alarm blaze. The fire was reported shortly after nine o'clock in the morning. Firefighter Mitchell had completed connecting the 6" soft suction to the hydrant located at Legion Avenue and Day Streets and charged the hose line. He had also assisted in dragging hose lines to hook into Engine Company #9. Fellow firefighters worked feverishly to revive Mitchell administering Cardio-pulmonary resuscitation before he was rushed to St. Raphael's Hospital. Thomas C. Harvey
February 5, 1975 Firefighter Thomas C. Harvey, 52, assigned to Engine Company 17 in the Fair Haven Heights died on February 5, 1975. Harvey, a 27-year veteran, had responded to a fire, on February 5, 1975, riding on the back step of Engine Company #17 (East Grand Avenue Station) during a snowstorm. Later in the day he engaged in clearing the snow from the station property. At the end of the shift when he returned to his residence he collapsed and died of a heart attack as he entered his home. Firefighter Robert D. McLean, age 43, assigned to Hook & Ladder Company #4, responded to a structure fire on Newhall Street shortly after 7 PM on January 27, 1977. McLean was working on the snow-covered roof removing the scuttle and chopping a hole in the smoke enshrouded roof. He collapsed in a snow bank after descending the ladder. Despite the efforts of his fellow firefighters he was pronounced dead on arrival at the Hospital of Saint Raphael, the victim of a heart attack. On June 4, 1977, a multiple alarm fire at 865 Congress Avenue in the Hill section of the City engulfed a six-family occupied three-story duplex. The initial alarm was sounded at 3:20 a.m. Firefighter Marion E. Robinson, a member of Hook & Ladder Co. 2, working the interior of the upper floors of the smoky fire assisted in ventilation and opening of the ceilings during the blaze. He continued the exhausting work spreading tarps and helping to overhaul the cellar area. Robinson, age 42, at the end of his shift returned to his home. Sometime in the afternoon he was found dead, the victim of a heart attack. Robinson joined the department September 29, 1965. Lieutenant Francis R. Foley, 58, a 26-year veteran of the department, suffered an acute myocardial infarction (Heart Attack) while on duty at the East Battalion Headquarters, 412 Lombard Street on Saturday October 13, 1979 resulting in his death. Lieutenant Foley reported for duty at Engine Company 10 at 5:05 PM. At 5:31 PM Engine Company 10 under his command answered an alarm to 311 Poplar Street. Engine Company 10 returned to duty at 5:40 PM. Foley was found unconscious in a chair in his room at 8:42 PM. Members of the Fire Station started CPR immediately until the arrival of Emergency Company #3. He was transported to Yale New Haven Hospital by Flanagan Ambulance and never regained conscious. Captain Allan J. Turner
October 9, 1981 Captain Allan J. Turner, 56, a 30 year veteran, died Friday, October 9, 1981 at Yale-New Haven Hospital of a heart attack that struck during a smoky cellar fire on Howard Avenue Thursday. Turner was commanding officer of the Howard Avenue Station that housed Engine Company 11 and Hook & Ladder #2. Henry Savage, 55, a twenty-five year veteran of the New Haven Fire Department reported for duty at 1705 hours on Tuesday April 27, 1982. He responded to a minor fire at 1730 hours. At approximately 0230 hours (April 28th) Savage was found by another firefighter in Central Stations wash room nauseous and complaining of chest pains. An advance life support emergency unit was immediately called. While being transported to Yale New Haven Hospital by the Fire Department Emergency Medical Unit, he sustained a cardiac arrest. He was pronounced dead at Yale New Haven Hospital despite the immediate efforts of paramedics. Fire Battalion Chief Leonard Guerrera, 55, died of a heart attack
while answering an alarm at the Ann Taylor store on Chapel Street early this
morning (Monday January 16, 1984). The
alarm, which apparently was defective, came in around 12:30 AM. Guerrera, the West Battalion Chief, responded and was
investigating the alarm when he collapsed on the sidewalk in front of the store.
Emergency medical technicians already on the scene treated him before he was
taken to Yale-New Haven Hospital. Guerrera
and other firefighters had been scampering around the exterior of the building
investigating the cause of the alarm when he collapsed.
He went on duty at 5 PM Sunday. "He was an outstanding chief officer and an outstanding firefighter," Chief John P. Reardon said. "This guy was a professional. He responded to thousands of fires in his 27 years with the department. This time he went down." Guerrera had been at a smoky fire that broke out in a cleaning closet in the Farnam Memorial Building at Yale-New Haven Hospital at 7:30 PM Sunday. Reardon said Guerrera had inhaled some smoke and fumes there, possibly from chemical solvents. A veteran fire captain died of a heart attack Thursday (January
19, 1984) while battling a spectacular fire that turned an abandoned building at
the former U.S. Steel plant on Fairmont Avenue into a raging furnace. Arson was
the cause of the four-alarm fire that took the life of Captain Anthony L.
Conforte. 55, who died while fighting the blaze. Conforte, one of the first firefighters to arrive at the scene, commanding Engine Company 5, called in a second alarm within three minutes of the first and collapsed in the snow while his company was lining in to the fire. He was treated at the scene by emergency medical technicians and rushed to Yale New Haven Hospital where he was pronounced dead of cardiac arrest.
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