Below you’ll find a non-exhaustive list of significant events in fire service history that happened in the month of December, 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.
December 1
Our Lady of the Angels Fire kills 95, Chicago, IL, 1958
December 2
Arcadia Hotel fire kills 28, Boston, MA, 1913
- Arcadia Hotel Fire, 1913: “All Was Over in 10 Minutes”
- Twenty-eight Lives Lost in Boston Lodging House
Ghost Ship Fire kills 36, Oakland, CA, 2016
- Oakland Fire Department Origin and Cause Report (PDF)
- Illegal Conversions: The Hidden Danger to Firefighters and the Public
December 3
Union Carbide plant fire kills 3,800, Bhopal, India, 1984
Waterfront fire kills 10, Brooklyn, 1956
LODDs: Worcester (MA) Cold Storage Warehouse fire kills six firefighters, 1999
December 4
Stouffer’s Inn conference center fire kills 26, Harrison, NY, 1980
December 5
Brooklyn Theater fire kills 295, Brooklyn, NY, 1876
December 6
Munitions freighter explosion kills 1,644, Halifax, NS, 1917
December 7
Winecoff Hotel fire kills 119, Atlanta, GA, 1946
LODDs: New Tripoli (PA) FF Marvin Gruber, 59, and Assistant Fire Chief Zachary Paris, 36, 2022
December 8
Church of La Compana fire kills about 2,000, Santiago, Chile, 1864
LODD: Worcester (MA) Firefighter Jon D. Davies Sr. dies, 2011
December 9
State school for mentally retarded fire kills 15, Ellisville, MS, 1978
LODD: Philadelphia firefighter killed in row home basement fire, 2014 (first female LODD for Philly)
December 10
Overton #2 coal mine explosion kills 53, Irondale, AL, 1925
December 11
Quaker Oats factory fire kills 22, Peterborough, ON, 1916
Textile mill fire, loss worth $603M, Methuen, MA, 1995
December 12
Tent city fire kills 138, Mina, Saudi Arabia, 1975
December 13
Coal mine explosion kills 20, Stone City, KS, 1916
December 14
St. Charles Hospice orphan asylum fire kills 36, Quebec City, PQ, 1927
December 15
Koppers Steel plant fire kills 19, Weirton, WV, 1972
December 16
Great New York Fire, loss worth $461M, NYC, 1835
December 17
Gran Circus Americano fire kills 323, Niteroi, Brazil, 1961
December 18
Nursing home fire kills 20, Fountaintown, IN, 1964
LODDs: Three FDNY firefighters killed in Vandalia Ave. fire, NYC, 1998
LODD: Worcester (MA) Firefighter Christopher Roy dies, 2018
December 19
Coal mine explosion kills 239, Jacobs Creek, PA, 1907
USS Constellation fire, $297M loss, Brooklyn, NY, 1960
December 20
Pioneer Hotel fire kills 28, Tucson, AZ, 1970
LODDs: Four firefighters killed in partial floor collapse, Brackenridge, PA, 1991
December 21
LODDs: 13 Philly firefighters, cop killed in Friedlander Leather Clippings Company fire, 1910
Orient #2 coal mine explosion kills 119, West Frankfort, IL, 1951
December 22
LODDs: Stockyard cold storage fire kills 21 firefighters, Chicago, 1910
LODDs: Firefighters killed in multi-family dwelling, Keokuk, Iowa, 1999
LODDs: Collapse kills Chicago Firefighters Corey Ankum and Ed Stringer, 2010
December 23
Sumner (PA) coal mine explosion kills 19, 1899
December 24
Babbs Switch school fire kills 36, Hobart, OK, 1924
LODDs: Firefighters slain in West Webster (NY) ambush shooting, 2012
December 25
Gambling hall fire kills 15, Dresslervile, NV, 1947
December 26
Richmond Theater fire kills 70, including governor, Richmond, VA, 1811
December 27
LODDs: Five Buffalo (NY) firefighters and two civilians killed in propane blast at North Division and Grosvenor St., 1983
Mine explosion kills 431, Chasnala, India, 1975
December 28
Oil tank truck/train post-collision fire kills 13, Everett, MA, 1966
December 29
Lick Branch coal mine explosion kills 50, Switchback, WV, 1908
December 30
Buenos Aires (Argentina) nightclub fire kills 188, 2004
Iroquois Theater fire kills 602, Chicago, IL, 1903
December 31
Dupont Plaza Hotel fire kills 97, San Juan, Puerto Rico, 1986
