Below you’ll find a non-exhaustive list of significant events in fire service history that happened in the month of September, 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.
September 1
Earthquake conflagration kills 142,807, Tokyo and Yokohama, Japan, 1923
First Volunteer Fire Fighter Recognition Day, 1984
September 2
First reported “Learn Not to Burn” PSA saves Jamaica Plain (MA) and Muskegon (MI)
September 3
Middle of the five-day Great Fire of London, England, 1666
September 4
Chicken processing plant fire kills 25, Hamlet, NC, 1991
First fog nozzle patented, 1894
September 5
Cargo plane in-flight fire, $463M loss, New Newburgh, NY, 1996
Hotel Caledonien fire kills 14, Kristiansand, Norway, 1986
September 6
Forest fire kills 25 firefighting soldiers, near Lisbon, Portugal, 1966
September 7
Movie theater fire kills 50, Drumcollogher, Ireland, 1926
LODD: Sturgis (SD) Assistant Fire Chief David Fischer dies after propane tank explosion, 2018
September 8
SS Morro Castle fire kills 135, near Asbury Park, NJ, 1934
September 9
Island Queen excursion fire kills 135, Pittsburgh, PA, 1947
September 10
Powder Mill explosion kills 19, Fairchance, PA, 1904
September 11
Terror attacks in NYC, D.C., PA; 343 firefighters among the nearly 3,000 killed, 2001
- 20 Years Later: What Has Changed Since 9/11?
- Fire Engineering‘s Report on the WTC Disaster Part 1 | Part 2
- Never Forgetting at the FDNY Fire Academy: 9/11 Memorials
- 343 and Counting: When Will It Stop?
Air France Caravelle in-flight fire kills 95, France, 1968
September 12
Hercules Powder Co. plant blast kill 52, Kenvil, NJ, 1940
September 13
Ponet Square Hotel fire kills 19, Los Angeles, CA, 1970
September 14
First use of gooseneck piping for fire engines, Boston, MA 1815
September 15
Fire destroys Pioche, NV, killing 13, 1871
September 16
Protocol to limit world production of Halon is signed, Montreal, PQ, 1987
Wall Street bombing, NYC, 1920
LODD: Farmington (ME) Fire Captain Michael Bell killed in gas explosion, 2019
September 17
First sprinkler system patented by PW Pratt, 1872
September 18
Aircraft hangar fire loss $296M, Richmond, FL, 1945
September 19
Yell of “fire” in church causes deadly stampede, 100+ die, Birmingham, AL, 1902
September 20
Study Club fire kills 22, Detroit, MI, 1929
September 21
Badische Anilin chemcial plant fire kills 1,000, Oppau, Germany, 1921
September 22
Second SFPE chapter formed, Los Angeles, CA, 1953
September 23
U.S. Army underground fuel tank blast kills 34, Bitburg, Germany, 1953
September 24
Teatro de Novedades theater fire kills 68, Madrid, Spain, 1928
LODDs: Arson fire kills three Wilmington (DE) firefighters, injures four other members, 2016 | NIOSH report
September 25
Bun Hirama rubber shoe factory fire kills 14, Kobe, Japan, 1963
Nashville (TN) nursing home fire kills 14, 2003
September 26
Bandon (OR) conflagration kills 13, destroys 386 buildings, 1936
September 27
Gasoline tank car explosion kills 43, Ardmore, OK, 1915
LODD: FDNY Battalion Chief Michael Fahy killed by flying debris after natural gas explosion, 2016
September 28
First fireboats arrive in the US, NYC, 1800
LODD: Denver (CO) firefighter dies (Engineer Mark W. Langvardt) after being overcome by smoke
September 29
Shantytown hut fires kill 15, New Delhi, India, 1991
September 30
Dwelling fire kills 12, Milwaukee, WI, 1987
