7 Alarm Fire!

by Joe Lowry

August 13, 1946, 7 Alarm Fire 35 firemen hurt with 12 staying at hospital.

On August 13, 1946 at 9:19 AM a fire was reported in the basement of the Sam Fortas Furniture Company located at 133 – 145 N Main Street. Dense smoke pushed out from the basement of the 4-story brick building resulting in clouds of heavy black smoke filling the downtown skies of Memphis.

Fire Fighters were hampered due to the lack of gas masks (typically a Chemox re-breather mask) which were needed to be able to advance hose lines into the building. It took 2 hours to control the fire and another two hours to remove all of the smoke due to the size of the building which covered one half of a city block. The contents of the basement contained burlap bags, muslin cloth, varnish, shellac, oil base paint and overstuffed chairs.  

Police officers would go to the firefighter’s homes in their district, pick up the firemen and quickly deliver them to their Engine House. It was customary practice to put fire fighters close to their respective stations.

The following equipment was dispatched to the scene.

1st Alarm 9:19 Engine 1-4-9 Truck 2, Salvage 1

2nd Alarm at 9:21 brought Engines 3,5,6, Truck 1, Salvage 2

 3rd Alarm at 9:28 brought out Engines 7,2,8, Truck 5, Water Tower, High Pressure Truck and Flood Light Truck,  

4th 10:14   Engines 12,10, and Truck 6 and the off-duty shift called back to work.

5th 10:15 Engines 15, 13, Reserve Engine

6th 10:17 Engines 14, 16, Reserve Engine

7th Alarm Reserve Engines with Entire off duty staff.

Engines 17, 18, 19 and 20 remained in service protecting the city and did not respond to the fire.

24 streams were thrown with 150 men on the scene. Fire was reported “Under Control” at 11:00 AM but by 12:30PM, although the fire was no longer spreading, they were still fighting the fire. 

The following men were treated and remained at St Joseph’s Hospital:

Captain J.M. Butcher, J.C. Miller, R.O. Wright, Charles Brooks, William Looney, and George Pauley.

Transported to John Gaston were Glenn Russell and A.M. Price.

The following were sent home. Lt. Harry H Gibson, Larry Gentry, Captain Edgar P Lovell (from Engine 7, who sustained a cut hand from falling glass), and E.F. Hendrix.

Other men were injured by glass, with various cuts from lacerations.

The cause of the fire was undetermined and the loss estimated to be $100.000 ($1,616,928.21 in 2024 dollars)

Press Scimitar August 13, 1946, page 1-2

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