Fire History and LODD Calendar: February

Front view of 8361 Bricelyn Street.
The front view of 8361 Bricelyn Street, where three Pittsburgh (PA) firefighters were killed in 1995.

Below you’ll find a non-exhaustive list of significant events in fire service history that happened in the month of February, including major incidents, firefighter line-of-duty deaths (LODDs), innovations, and the like. Thanks to Grant Schwalbe and Sam Hittle for proving their insights, as well as the work of Glenn Corbett.

Some of these incidents may provide a springboard for your company training or training ideas for drills.

February 1

Dearborn (MI) power plant (auto manufacturing complex) fire, $717M loss, 1999

Joelma office fire kills 179, Sao Paolo, Brazil, 1974

February 2

Coast to Coast Hardware store fire kills 13, Eagle Grove, IA, 1973

February 3

LODDs: Nine Syracuse (NY) firefighters killed in Collins Block fire, 1939

Thiokol Chemical Co. fire kills 29, Woodbine, GA, 1971

February 4

Fire Technology begins publication this month, 1965

February 5

Banko Paradise Hotel fire kills 30, Tokyo, Japan, 1969

February 6

“Black Thursday” forest fires damage 50K square miles, Australia, 1851

February 7

Great Baltimore Fire, 1904

February 8

Loebel’s Restaurant fire kills 89, Berlin, Germany, 1946

February 9

USS Lafayette fire, $598M loss, NYC, 1942

February 10

First fire extinguisher patent issued to Alanson Crane, 1863

February 11

Madrid-Barcelona Express train fire kills 34, Zaragoza, Spain, 1965

February 12

Knitting factory under apartments fire kills 19, Hong Kong, 1968

February 13

First state-level insurance regulatory act passes, Massachusetts, 1799

February 14

Stardust Cabaret discotheque fire kills 44, Dublin, Ireland, 1981

LODDs: Three Pittsburgh (PA) firefighters killed in Bricelyn Street Fire, 1995

The three members were killed when they ran out of air and were unable to escape from the interior of a burning dwelling. The victims were all assigned to Engine Company 17 and had advanced the first hoseline into the house to attack an arson fire in the basement. When found, all three were together in one room and had exhausted their air supplies. Three other firefighters had been rescued from the same room, which caused confusion over the status of the initial attack team.

February 15

Commodore Hotel fire and gas explosion, 43 firefighters and 29 civilians injured, St. Louis, MO, 1978

First U.S. graduate Fire Protection Engineering Program, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 1979

LODDs: Bryan (TX) Knights of Columbus LODDs, 2013

February 16

Australia “Ash Wednesday” forest fires kill 76, 1983

LODD: Sterling (VA) explosion, Trevor Brown, 2024

February 17

Katie Jane Nursing Home fire kills 72, Warrenton, MO, 1957

February 18

Manhattan State Hospital fire kills 25, Ward’s Island, NY, 1923

LODD: Burnsville (MN) FF-Medic, officers shot dead, 2024

February 19

Spencer Mine explosion kills 7, Pottsville, PA, 1846

February 20

First U.S. chartered fire insurance company, Philly, 1768

The Station nightclub fire kills 100, West Warwick, RI, 2003

February 21

NY Bronze Powders Co. warehouse, $210M loss, Elizabeth, NJ, 1985

February 22

Madrid Spectacle Frame Company fire kills 24, Madrid, Spain, 1961

February 23

One Meridian Plaza fire, Philadelphia, PA, 1991

February 24

Gal Sejour home for the aged fire kills 16, St. Gilles, Belgium, 1965

February 25

Oil pipeline explosion kills 508, Cubatao, Brazil, 1984

February 26

WTC bombing and fire kills 6, injures 1,164, NYC, 1993

February 27

Telephone exchange fire, $205M loss, NYC, 1975

February 28

First joint stock fire insurance company, Philadelphia, 1810

February 29

fort lauderdale dogs fire

Fort Lauderdale (FL) Firefighters Save Dogs From House Fire, Department Says

Firefighters pulled four dogs from a smoldering Fort Lauderdale home that was in flames just minutes earlier Thursday morning, according to the department.
MN Barn Fire

4,000 Pigs Lost in MN Barn Fire

A fire late Wednesday evening has resulted in a total loss of a hog confinement and the 4,000 hogs inside.