Historic Fires of Fall River by Stefani Koorey PhD

Author:Stefani Koorey PhD [Koorey, Stefani PhD]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Technology & Engineering, Fire Science, Photography, Subjects & Themes, Historical, Regional, History, United States, State & Local, New England (CT; MA; ME; NH; RI; VT)
ISBN: 9781625856654
Google: 4CsqDAAAQBAJ
Publisher: Arcadia Publishing
Published: 2016-06-06T03:00:21+00:00

“Central Street from Main Street, Westerly; Showing the Granite Block, Pocasset Mills, and Mohegan Hotel.” All three of these buildings were destroyed in the Great Fire of 1928. Fall River Historical Society, P.D. Borden Collection.

While primary attention was directed toward checking the spread of the fire to the north and east, where there was a congestion of businesses, the fire swelled south across Central and Bedford Streets to ignite the Granite Block and the three big banks across from it next to City Hall. Some eyewitnesses reported that the fire crossed the street from the Durfee Block to the Granite Block (north to south) and then moved from the Granite Block to the banking establishments (west to east) by heat radiated by the wind. However, in view of the frequent changes in its direction, it is entirely possible that heat and flame were carried by the wind across Bedford Street from the Buffington Building to the banks.

When the six-story granite wall of the south side of Pocasset No. 2 collapsed at 7:40 p.m. and the flames roared across Pocasset Street and directly onto the buildings on the opposite side, three firemen were hurt, suffering injuries ranging from shock to fractured limbs. First to go was the Nathan Miller Building, followed by the old Herald Building, both made of brick. Fire lapped at the new Herald News Building next door, and the exposure to the heat from the flames was so severe that the plate glass windows cracked and shattered to the street. Because of its newer construction, however, the building was equipped with a complete automatic sprinkler system with thirty-two sprinkler heads near the windows, preventing the fire from gaining entrance. The exterior cornice burned and fell, and the building was singed; however, the interior suffered only water damage.93

The Mohican Hotel, part of the five-story Durfee Block, caught fire from the spread of the flames from Pocasset Mill No. 3 on Central Street. Built in 1914, The Mohican was the largest hotel in the city, able to accommodate up to five hundred guests. Unfortunately, the building contained only a partial system of automatic sprinklers, located on the street and basement levels. At about 7:45 p.m., firebrands ignited the roof, and the fire quickly spread throughout the entire building. Manager William Durfee had evacuated the guests as soon as the first fire company had arrived on the scene at the mill, and everyone was safely sent to the Hotel Mellen. Much personal property was lost in the exodus including $8,000 in jewelry belonging to Mrs. Durfee, the wife of the hotel’s proprietor.94 In less than an hour, the entire Durfee Block was burning fiercely, including the Rialto Theatre next door. Firemen directed their streams onto the roof of the building on the other side of the theater to hinder the blaze from spreading any farther north.

WHILE THE FIREFIGHTERS WERE performing their duties, there were other activities associated with a fire of this magnitude being performed. Gas company employees moved from meter

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