Incident Date: December 17, 1960
Department: Louisville Fire Department (KY)
Number of Line-of-Duty Deaths: 3
A Louisville fire captain, his aide and a firefighter were killed at a structure fire in a recreation center. The center contained a 40-lane bowling alley, restaurant, coffee shop, bar and night club. Steaks being grilled in the center’s coffee shop burst into flames. The firefighters were caught in a backdraft explosion. All three were caught in the collapse of the building. The captain was removed from the building and died enroute to the hospital. His aide was found later deceased in the building, suffering from fatal burns. The third firefighter was listed initially as missing and found later. Six other firefighters were treated for smoke inhalation and other non-life-threatening injuries.
Killed in the Collapse
Related:
- PowerPoint: 1960 Triple LODD Louisville Fire Department
- Fire Engineering: Three Fire Fighters Die In Louisville, Ky., Fire
- Louisville Fire Department: Line-of-Duty Deaths
- Dallas Morning News: Louisville Kills Three Firemen
- Boston Daily Record: $500,000 Blaze Kills 2 Firemen
- Grand Rapids Press: Blaze Kills 3 Firemen
More About Memorial Monday
Memorial Monday is established to remember the sacrifice of firefighters who died in the line of duty before the National Memorial was created in 1981. On the last Monday of every month, a firefighter, or groups of firefighters, will be remembered through information located about the firefighter and their sacrifice.
- Chicago World’s Fair: Cold Storage Fire
- Memorial Monday – Hotel Vendome Fire (MA)
- Memorial Monday – Barson’s Deli Fire (PA)
- Memorial Monday – Davidson Theatre Fire (WI)
- Memorial Monday – Quackenbush Warehouse Fire (NJ)
- Memorial Monday – New Haven Apparatus Crash (CT)
- Memorial Monday – Wilmington Apparatus Crash (DE)
- Memorial Monday – Chicago Union Stockyards Fire (IL)
- Memorial Monday – The Loop Fire (CA)
- Memorial Monday – Boston Toy Factory Fire (MA)
- Memorial Monday – Baltimore Warehouse Fire (MD)
- Memorial Monday – Gulf Oil Refinery Fire (PA)
- Memorial Monday – Kingman Explosion (AZ)
- Memorial Monday – St. Louis Apparatus Crash (MO)
- Memorial Monday – Uptown Shelby Explosion (NC)
- Memorial Monday – Texas City Disaster
- Memorial Monday – Bowen-Merrill Bookstore Fire
- Memorial Monday – Merrimac Street Fire
- Memorial Monday – Butte Warehouse Explosion
- Memorial Monday – Louisville Recreation Center Fire
- Memorial Monday – Wichita Commercial Roof Collapse
- Memorial Monday – Sitka Brush Fire/Explosion
- Memorial Monday – Duluth Street Car Crash
- Memorial Monday – Blackwater Fire
- Memorial Monday – Auburn Apparatus Collision
- Memorial Monday – Swanson Office Building Fire
- Memorial Monday – Jass Manufacturing Company Fire
- Memorial Monday – St. Louis Streetcar Collision
- Memorial Monday – Strand Theatre Fire
- Memorial Monday – Tru-Fit Clothing Company Fire
- Memorial Monday – Hubbard Street Fire