Editor's Note: On March, 23, 1895, four members of the Denver Fire Department’s Hose Co. 3 died when a fire at the St. James Hotel caused the lobby floor to collapse. They were: Capt. Harold Hartwell, Frederick Brawley, Richard Dandridge and Stephen Martin. With the exception of their captain, Hose 3's firemen were African-American. At the time, the Denver Fire Department, like other U.S. departments, was segregated.
By Jerry Michals
Denver Fire Department (retired)
By Jerry Michals
Denver Fire Department (retired)
Assistant Chief Alonzo Bates paid a visit to Hose #3 on Saturday evening March 23, 1895 and its crew: Captain Hal Hartwell, Lt. Fred Brawley, Pipeman Richard Dandridge and Pipeman Stephen Martin.
Driver William M. Walton was on his day off.
Driver William M. Walton was on his day off.
At 10:40 p.m., an alarm from Box 7 came in on the gong for 15thand Curtis.
Chief Bates telephoned Fire Alarm and confirmed that it was the St. James Hotel, 1524 Curtis St.
They performed a quick hitch and as the second alarm was sounding, Pipeman Dandridge drove Chief Bates and followed Hose #3 to the working fire.
An Officer at the fire would have tapped in the 2nd Alarm from a Street Box.
Chief Bates telephoned Fire Alarm and confirmed that it was the St. James Hotel, 1524 Curtis St.
They performed a quick hitch and as the second alarm was sounding, Pipeman Dandridge drove Chief Bates and followed Hose #3 to the working fire.
An Officer at the fire would have tapped in the 2nd Alarm from a Street Box.
The closest they could park the hose wagon was 16th and Arapahoe Sts. where they joined Chief Bates and Richard Dandridge.
They unhitched and tethered the horses with another company’s driver and the crew raced to the fire.
Horses were always unhitched and tethered to prevent runaways with the apparatus.
They unhitched and tethered the horses with another company’s driver and the crew raced to the fire.
Horses were always unhitched and tethered to prevent runaways with the apparatus.
The main St. James Hotel was a difficult fire to fight was that is was the old 1872 hotel that had a five-story addition built in 1881 and remodeled in 1887.
These additions and remodeling over the years created a maze in the basement and a difficult lobby to navigate.
Either faulty wiring or spontaneous combustion was the apparent fire cause.
The wiring was in poor condition due to the many changes made over time and had been an ongoing problem.
Either faulty wiring or spontaneous combustion was the apparent fire cause.
The wiring was in poor condition due to the many changes made over time and had been an ongoing problem.
Chief Bates was given command of the Curtis St. entrance by Chief Roberts, who was in command at the rear of the building ordering Steamer #5 and Steamer #8 to focus their streams into the basement stairways and the elevator shaft at the rear of the building to keep the fire from spreading to the upper floors, thus losing the building.
Steamer #4 and Steamer #1 were at the front of the building.
The basement fire generated a large volume of heat and smoke that reached the upper floors through the elevator shaft.
Firemen did not have breathing equipment at this time and would use a wet piece of natural sponge to keep their airways cooled, breathing through clenched teeth and refreshing the sponge at the closest hose nozzle whenever possible.
Steamer #4 and Steamer #1 were at the front of the building.
The basement fire generated a large volume of heat and smoke that reached the upper floors through the elevator shaft.
Firemen did not have breathing equipment at this time and would use a wet piece of natural sponge to keep their airways cooled, breathing through clenched teeth and refreshing the sponge at the closest hose nozzle whenever possible.
Chief Bates directed Hose #3 to take two lines off Steamer #4 through the front door across the lobby to the basement stairway and elevator at the opposite side of the rotunda or find any fire that was breaking through from the basement.
Two men on a line was too much to handle, so Captain Hartwell ordered one line to be given to Ladder #2, firemen from his first firehouse.
Visibility was zero.
Ladder #2 and Steamer #4 were on the opposite side of the lobby.
Five minutes after 11 PM Captain Hartwell and Pipeman Steve Martin were on the nozzle with Lt. Brawley and Steve Dandridge pulling line straight into the rotunda.
This is why a firefighters’ job description was “smoke eater”.
Two men on a line was too much to handle, so Captain Hartwell ordered one line to be given to Ladder #2, firemen from his first firehouse.
Visibility was zero.
Ladder #2 and Steamer #4 were on the opposite side of the lobby.
Five minutes after 11 PM Captain Hartwell and Pipeman Steve Martin were on the nozzle with Lt. Brawley and Steve Dandridge pulling line straight into the rotunda.
This is why a firefighters’ job description was “smoke eater”.
They were on their knees in the dense smoke and heat and paused to wet their sponges.
A tongue of flame from the rear appeared dimly through the smoke to guide them on.
They were now crawling slowly over the tile floor, no voices could be heard when the sound of breaking pottery and a loud crash was heard, followed by intense heat and smoke banking down from the ceiling.
No one heard a scream or yell as the four firemen of Hose #3 fell into the basement fire.
Ladder #2 directed their stream downward and assumed Hose #3 was doing the same.
Hose #3’s line was still flowing water.
Every newspaper had different accounts of other fireman being rescued from falling in the hole.
Firemen also rescued a woman trapped on an upper fire escape.
A tongue of flame from the rear appeared dimly through the smoke to guide them on.
They were now crawling slowly over the tile floor, no voices could be heard when the sound of breaking pottery and a loud crash was heard, followed by intense heat and smoke banking down from the ceiling.
No one heard a scream or yell as the four firemen of Hose #3 fell into the basement fire.
Ladder #2 directed their stream downward and assumed Hose #3 was doing the same.
Hose #3’s line was still flowing water.
Every newspaper had different accounts of other fireman being rescued from falling in the hole.
Firemen also rescued a woman trapped on an upper fire escape.
Just prior to the collapse, Chief Bates saw the hose lines moving and reported their progress to Chief Roberts.
There were five hose lines at the rear of the building and four at the front. Twenty-five minutes after the collapse, crews had knocked the fire.
The collapse provided access the seat of the fire, which was quickly extinguished by basement and 1st floor hose lines; the total time was one hour to save the building.
Chief Roberts and Chief Bates began searching for Hose #3 when they determined that there had been no contact from them.
Crawling while following the line through the clearing smoke they found the gaping hole in the floor.
They ordered crews to the basement for a search that found the charred bodies of Hose Company #3.
The only portable lighting was the dim glow of kerosene lanterns.
There were five hose lines at the rear of the building and four at the front. Twenty-five minutes after the collapse, crews had knocked the fire.
The collapse provided access the seat of the fire, which was quickly extinguished by basement and 1st floor hose lines; the total time was one hour to save the building.
Chief Roberts and Chief Bates began searching for Hose #3 when they determined that there had been no contact from them.
Crawling while following the line through the clearing smoke they found the gaping hole in the floor.
They ordered crews to the basement for a search that found the charred bodies of Hose Company #3.
The only portable lighting was the dim glow of kerosene lanterns.
It was determined that the fire had burned some time before the alarm was given thus allowing enough time to weaken the floor joists and support timbers.
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