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November 17, 2005
November Can Be Cruel...
The first firefighter to die in the line of duty for the city of Los Angeles was Call Fireman Sam Haskins. Born a slave in Virginia, Haskins moved to California in 1880 and two years later, was appointed as "Call Fireman" (replacing ill or injured firemen) in 1882. Haskins died on November 19, 1895 of injuries suffered in a fall while responding to a fire. He was the first African American hired by the Los Angeles Fire Department.
The death of Haskins began what has historically been one of the cruelest of months for the LAFD. Assistant Chief Charles Fuselehr died on November 25, 1906 also as a result of injuries incurred while responding to an alarm. Fireman Harry Powell of Engine 9 also died of accident-realted injuries during an emergency response (on scene) on November 19, 1922.
One of the more memorable and well covered line of duty deaths occurred during the "Gray Building Fire" on November 6, 1939. A well involved structure fire on Broadway brought not only spectators and firefighters, but the media as well. Charles Blake wrote a colorful and graphic account of the fire and the resulting death to Fireman Joe Kacl and the mortal injuries suffered by John "Red" Hough, who was working to rescue Kacl when the upper floors and a wall collapsed onto firemen. Photographers captured the moments just prior to the collapse (these can be seen in the LAFD Memorial Book, available at the LAFD Museum store).
Posted by dbarrett at November 17, 2005 12:07 AM