1990….. 25 Years Ago This Week – The Big One. In 1979 when I began my career with the Harrisburg Bureau of Fire, one of the first places I was taken by the veteran firefighters who were teaching me my new job was a large, abandoned brick industrial building tucked away in a neighborhood only a few blocks from city Station No. 8. My instructors were making sure I was aware of what they were shown when they were new to the job….that this was the largest single building fire hazard that stood in all of Harrisburg. Everyone on the job at that time knew that a day of doom was coming for the Vernon Industrial Building and at just after 6AM on January 23, 1990, Harrisburg had an unexpected early and dangerous sunrise. Below is the official entry into our log. Time: 0618 hrs. 1408 Vernon St.- Vernon Industrial Bldg. Large 6/8 story brick vacant mill type building approximately 200 x 125. Flooring and the interior of building was of oil soaked timber construction. This building was built during the late 19th century and was typical of mill type construction of that period. An arson fire was started on the first floor and raced upwards through the open elevator shafts. This fire was very spectacular and could be seen for many miles around. The first arriving companies initiated an aggressive interior attack but had to be pulled out when fire was discovered on the floors above them. Within a short time, fire was belching from most all windows. The floors and walls began collapsing by 0730 hrs. Water supply was initially a problem but eventually solved with long large diameter hose lays to good hydrants. A large number of surrounding buildings (26) were damaged by radiant heat or the collapse. Harrisburg rigs had to be moved early into fire to create a collapse zone. The weather was unseasonably warm. A total of 40 engines, trucks and other rigs were on the scene or in city. Sixty-nine people were displaced from damaged houses. The overall loss was listed at $500,000. Harrisburg’s running cards only go to the fifth alarm and because of special calling companies after the fourth alarm and numerous calls for “reflection of fire in windows” blocks away from the main fire building the dispatchers were having difficulty filling assignments and keeping the city covered. Falling embers were found five to eight blocks south and east of the building. The fire was officially listed as a six-alarm fire but actually of seven alarm equivalence. It was marked under control at 0829. A Platoon worked the initial stages of the fire and C Platoon reported to the scene after their arrival at work at 0730. About 1000 hrs. Engine 1 with C Platoon members and Chief 9 returned to Sta. 1 to relieve E59 and run the city. Up to this point one city firefighter was acting as a pilot at Sta. 2. Out of town rigs coming from far distances had to ask directions just to get to the station they were assigned ! All Harrisburg apparatus finally left the scene at 2139. Main fire building: 1408 Vernon-Vernon Industrial Building. Six and eight story brick approx. 200 x 125 bounded by Vernon St.(Side 1) Eaton St.(Side 2) Mayflower St.(Side 3) and vacant lot(Side 4). Building destroyed and collapsed. Side 2(West Side) exposures: 1406 Vernon-three story frame row-vacant-fire on all three stories. The west wall of the Vernon Building collapsed onto this house. 1404 Vernon-three story frame row-occupied-fire damage to roof, water damage to 3rd fl. 1402 Vernon-three story frame row-vacant-radiant heat outside 1400 Vernon-three story frame row-damage from forcible entry to evacuate. Side 1(Across the street-South of the building) exposures: 1405 Vernon-Broken glass from radiant heat. 1407 Vernon-Broken glass from radiant heat. 1407-1/2 Vernon-Fire damage to roof and 3rd fl. front room. Water damage to 3rd fl. 1409 Vernon-Fire damage to roof, 3rd fl. front room and front of house. Water damage to 2nd & 3rd fls. 1411 Vernon-Fire damage 3rd fl. front room and front of house. Water damage to 3rd fl. 1413-15 Vernon-Radiant heat damage front of building. 1417 Vernon-Heavy fire damage 2nd & 3rd fls. roof and front of house heavy water damage all 3 fls. Apt building occupants relocated. 1419 Vernon-Apartment building. Exterior fire damage to roof, porch roof, 3rd fl, 2nd & 3rd fl. stairway. All three fls sustained water damage. Occupants relocated. 1421 Vernon-Fire in ceiling of 3rd fl. front. Damage from heat and water 2nd & 3rd fls. 1423 Vernon-vacant-radiant heat damage front of house. 1425 Vernon-Radiant heat damage front of house. Moderate water damage 1st & 2nd fls. 1427 Vernon-Radiant heat damage to front. 1429 Vernon-Radiant heat damage to front, shingles on roof damaged from protecting exposure(hose line). Minor water damage. 1429-1/2 Vernon-Vacant-minor radiant heat damage to front shingles on roof. Damage from exposure protection hose lines. 1431 Vernon-No information given on fire report 1433 Vernon-Front damaged from radiant heat. Sofa outside ignited causing fire damage to outside of building. Fire damage to roof. 1435 Vernon-Fire damaged 3rd fl. roof and ceiling. Front of building-Parked auto crushed when building collapsed onto it. Side 3(North Side) exposures: 1407 Mayflower-three story row. Damage from radiant heat and structural damage from collapse of Vernon Bldg onto it. 47 S. 14th St.-Damaged from radiant heat and major damage from collapse onto it. Other: 220 S. 15th St.-Flying brands ignited back basement door. 226 S. 15th St.-Minor fire damage to roof from brands. Other remarks: Hose used: 4,500 of 5, 2,700 of 3, 1,000 of 1-3/4. Water consumption was estimated at 3 million gallons. Reserve Engine 2 was pressed into service by two recalled city firemen to run extra calls. Apparatus used: 22 Engines, 12 Trucks, 4 Squad/Rescues, 2 Air Wagons committed to the fire or in the city. Companies coming the longest distance awards went to: Millersburg, Elizabethtown and Carlisle. The “cover-ups” for the vacant Cumberland and Dauphin firehouses is unknown but I’m sure other companies came a much greater distance to fill in. The engine from the Public Safety Training Center at Harrisburg Area Community College was pressed into service carrying C Platoon from Sta. 1 to the scene. 10 EMS units stood by. Over 250 paid and volunteer firefighters were committed and surprisingly no known injuries. The site was declared under a limited state of emergency by Mayor Reed. This fire entered history along with the State Capital building in 1897 as one of the largest single building fires in Harrisburg city history.
Posted on: Sun, 25 Jan 2015 04:01:34 +0000
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