Sad Fortieth Anniversary for the Buffalo Fire Department

[SoTier]

Tonight, December 27, at 8:20 pm, the Buffalo Fire Department will mark the 40th anniversary of the death of five firemen in a massive propane explosion in a warehouse at North Division and Grosvenor Streets which was just east of downtown and just north of what is today Larkinville.   At the time I lived in the Grant-Amherst neighborhood about 7 miles from downtown.  The explosion shook my house.

 

Two civilians, Al Arnold and his mom, Jessie, were also killed in the massive explosion.  Al was a friend and classmate when we were at Buffalo State in the late 1960s and early 1970s, so this sad anniversary always hits me hard.

 

Buffalo Propane Explosion

[BillsPride12]

Never heard of that story before as it was before my time but still sad nonetheless and I'm sure with your close connection to it that is something you will remember for the rest of your life 😢

[BuffaloBill]

Very sad indeed - I was not aware of the events.

[CowgirlsFan]

🙏🙏🙏🙏

[BillsPride12]

The local news channel here in Buffalo opened with a look back at this story tonight.  The footage was pretty crazy.  Sad stuff 

[Wacka]

Lived in Cheektowaga near William and Union, about 5 miles from downtown. My mother was upstairs vacuuming. We thought she fell  and went running to the  stair to  call up to her.  We get to the back window  which had a view of downtown and saw a mushroom ckoud of smoke rising up.  My sister lives near the West Seneca Developmental Center  thought a car had hit their house.

Edited December 28, 2023 by Wacka

[ExiledInIllinois]

What was the company? And were they ever punished, and/or sued?

 

"After an investigation, it was found the warehouse was housing an illegal 500 gallon propane tank. An employee was attempting to move the tank to another part of the warehouse when it slipped off the forklift, breaking the valve. The leaking gas filled the entire structure with propane and the gas found an unknown ignition source."

 

Probably when they opened the door.  Don't they say a structure full of natural gas will gets its ignition source from static electricity like opening a door???

 

[Bill from NYC]

22 hours ago, SoTier said:

Tonight, December 27, at 8:20 pm, the Buffalo Fire Department will mark the 40th anniversary of the death of five firemen in a massive propane explosion in a warehouse at North Division and Grosvenor Streets which was just east of downtown and just north of what is today Larkinville.   At the time I lived in the Grant-Amherst neighborhood about 7 miles from downtown.  The explosion shook my house.

 

Two civilians, Al Arnold and his mom, Jessie, were also killed in the massive explosion.  Al was a friend and classmate when we were at Buffalo State in the late 1960s and early 1970s, so this sad anniversary always hits me hard.

 

Buffalo Propane Explosion

May God rest the souls of the deceased and provide solace for their friends and loved ones.

[Wacka]

1 hour ago, Bill from NYC said:

May God rest the souls of the deceased and provide solace for their friends and loved ones.

I read that the tank was off the ground floor. After the valve broke off,  the workers exited and called the FD. Meanwhile the propane worked its way down  until it got to a furnace/heater, which ignited it. Unfortunately it was right when the crew had just gotten off the rig and were getting their hatchets, etc. The blast blew them into the side of the fire truck.

Yesterday,I saw the news interviewing a son of one of the firefighters talking about his dad. He is also a Buffalo firefighter.

Edited December 28, 2023 by Wacka

[Beast]

There was a Sabres game (or some event) that night. The fans in the Aud said they felt the explosion.

Edited December 28, 2023 by Beast

[BringBackFergy]

Didn’t read the article but remember the incident. We knew the Austin family. Mike was a great man. Huge guy. Very kind. Will never forget it. 

[Tiberius]

On 12/27/2023 at 8:04 AM, SoTier said:

Tonight, December 27, at 8:20 pm, the Buffalo Fire Department will mark the 40th anniversary of the death of five firemen in a massive propane explosion in a warehouse at North Division and Grosvenor Streets which was just east of downtown and just north of what is today Larkinville.   At the time I lived in the Grant-Amherst neighborhood about 7 miles from downtown.  The explosion shook my house.

 

Two civilians, Al Arnold and his mom, Jessie, were also killed in the massive explosion.  Al was a friend and classmate when we were at Buffalo State in the late 1960s and early 1970s, so this sad anniversary always hits me hard.

 

Buffalo Propane Explosion

I was outside my friends house when the sound wave hit the side of the house. Cold night as I remember it 

[SoTier]

On 1/3/2024 at 2:02 PM, Tiberius said:

I was outside my friends house when the sound wave hit the side of the house. Cold night as I remember it 

 

Yes, it was.   I remember the pictures of the firetrucks and the firefighting equipment encased in ice.