Archive of posts filed under the Humor category.

Cigarette Carried to Attic By Pigeon and Other Unusual Fire Causes

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Updated December 2022 with content from archive blog postings, replacing links to pages no longer available. Back in 2009, we published a series of blog postings, listing vintage fire cause reports from around North Carolina from the late 1940s through the late 1950s, as (a.) reported to the State Insurance Commissioner’s office, (b.) compiled by …

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Mapping The First Six Forks Fire Stations

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Morning map play. Using USDA aerial images from 1959 and 1971 to pinpoint the exact location of the original Six Forks FD locations. Plus a 2021 aerial image noting their approximate locations today. Maps via UNC Library. From my notes: 1956, first fire station is converted barn on south side of Howells Store at 4129 …

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Early Power and Lighting Units

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This content was previously published as a Facebook posting. Power and lighting units, what were the early ones in North Carolina? Below are some of the “big city” rigs. Shown left to right, top to bottom are: Charlotte – 1934-36 International/Charlotte Auto & Wagon Works. Added by June 1935, housed at Central Fire Station. Lights …

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North Side Fire Rescue Starts

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This is a blog version of a Facebook posting. Big news in Johnston County this week. North Side Fire & Rescue started service on Monday, December 4, at 9:00 a.m. The new department was created with a merger of Archers Lodge FD (est. 1958) and Thanksgiving FD (est. 1961). It’s believed to be the first …

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Recommendations For Cary Fire Department, 1971

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In September 1971, the Town of Cary Safety Committee released a report with recommendations for improvements to the fire department. CFD like other town departments–indeed, like the community itself–had experienced growing pains. From 1960 to 1970, the town population explosion 121.4%, with expected 14% growth each year from 1970 to 1980. The fire department was …

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Plane Strikes Fire Truck While Taking Off – Charlotte, 1977

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Here’s an usual apparatus accident, reported by the Charlotte Observer on Saturday, April 9, 1977. Douglas Municipal Airport on Friday night, April 8. Piece of fire apparatus with three aboard. They were returning to the station, after doing some pre-planning of a DC-10 that had made a rare landing at the airport. The FFs radioed …

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Wilmington Fireman Killed by Falling Wall – 1893

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On June 17, 1893, Wilmington volunteer fireman Joseph Ballister Willard died in the line of duty. He was a member of Hook and Ladder Company No. 1, and was killed when a wall collapsed at a warehouse fire. The fire started at 2:00 a.m. at a brick warehouse on Water Street, which stored about 400 …

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