Research notes on the May 1951 apparatus accident in Morehead City, NC, that killed one firefighter and injured two others, when a recently delivered pumper overturned while returning from pump testing.
Carteret County News-Times – Friday, May 4, 1951
Photo caption: At the upper left the Morehead City fire truck rests on its left side. Covered with a white blanket is the body of Andrew Bell. At right is another scene of the wrecked truck. In the background at lower left are Craven county highway patrolmen, Nathan Robinson and J. T. Jenkins. At lower right, Billy Rowe, left, an 11th grade pupil at Newport school, looks at the crumpled steering wheel and front seat on which Bell, his brother, Grady, and Eric Lewis were riding. News-Times Photos
Andrew Bell Killed in Morehead Fire Truck Crash
Andrew J. Bell, 54, Morehead City fire truck driver, was killed instantly at 3:30 Tuesday afternoon when Morehead City’s new $11,000 fire truck crashed on a curve on the Newport prison camp road.
His brother, Grady, was seriously injured. He is confined to Morehead City hospital, suffering from a fractured spine, but his physician, Dr. John Morris, stated that he is “doing nicely.” Bell is allowed no visitors.
A third man riding in the ill-fated truck, Eric Lewis, walked away from the wreck. When the truck crashed, he was thrown up on a sand embankment.
Rites Yesterday
Funeral services for Bell were conducted at 3 o’clock yesterday afternoon at the home, 1413 Evans st., Morehead City. The officiating ministers were the Rev. L. A. Tilley, pastor of the First Methodist church, Morehead City, and the Rev. W. E. Anderson, Free Will Baptist minister, Morehead City.
Pallbearers were George Thomas Lawrence, Vincent Lawrence, James Lee Lawrence, Halbert Ball, Austin Ball, and Justin Ball, all cousins of the deceased. Honorary pallbearers were members of the Morehead City, Cherry Point, and Beaufort fire departments. A Morehead City fire truck and a Beaufort fire truck were used in the funeral procession.
Witnesses Crash
John Parker, fireman and eyewitness to the crash, was riding in a car behind the fire truck when it failed to make the turn on the road leading into Newport. He said that he was positive the truck was not going “over 35 miles an hour if that.”
Andrew was driving, seated next to him was Chief Grady Bell, his brother, and then Lewis.
According to State Highway Patrolman R. H. Brown, who investigated, the truck was going “35 or 40 miles an hour.” He said there were no skid marks on the hard surface. The distance between the spot where the truck left the paved part of the road and hit the soft 6-foot shoulder and then came to rest, was 137 feet.
Parker, who pulled Andrew from behind the wheel, said he was not pinned in the wreckage. Grady was doubled up on the floor. As Andrew was taken from the truck, Grady said to Parker, “Andrew’s dead.”
“No, he isn’t,” Parker replied. “He’s all right.”
“No,” Grady insisted, “I know he’s dead.”
In spite of Parker’s trying to assure him he was all right, the fire chief was positive his brother was not living. Then he added, “My back’s broken.”
Andrew suffered serious chest and head injuries. His death was not caused by a heart attack prior to the crash, according to Dr. Morris. Rumors to that effect have been widespread throughout town.
One youngster saw the crash, as did Newport Town Commissioner Ormsby Mann who was working in a field on his farm. Others said that there have been other wrecks on the same curve. The afternoon was clear and the road dry.
The fire truck pump was being tested at a creek near Newport prior to the crash.
Obtaining data on the test was a representative of the Fire Underwriters’ association. Also present was a representative from the Four Wheel Drive company, truck manufacturers.
Transaction Incomplete
Since the town had not signed papers completing the purchase transaction, it has not been determined as yet who will make good the damage. It has been estimated that repairs will cost at least $2,000.
Bell was the son of the late Ulysses S. Grant Bell and Evelina Howland Bell. He is survived by his wife, two sons, Charles of Beaufort, Raymond, USN, Washington, D. C., two daughters, Mrs. Robert Scarboro, Morehead City, Mrs. Hugh Tyner, Winston-Salem, two brothers, Grady of Morehead City, Gordon of New York, and two sisters, Mrs. Bertha Fitzpatrick and Mrs. Varina Williams, both of Morehead City.
Carteret County News-Times – May 15, 1951
Card of Thanks
We wish to express our appreciation for the many kindnesses shown us during our recent bereavement, the death of our father and husband Andrew J. Bell.
The Family
Carteret County News-Times – Friday, May 18, 1951
[ Excerpt from article about Tuesday night meeting’s of the town’s board of commissioners. ]
Parker Appointed
John Parker was appointed maintenance man of the fire department, to serve until the end of the present fiscal year, June 30. He replaces Andrew Bell, fireman who was killed in a recent fire truck accident.
No decision has been made as yet concerning the new fire truck which was wrecked several weeks ago. The town is awaiting action on the part of the Four Wheel Drive [Company], from whom the equipment was purchased.
Carteret County News-Times – August 10, 1951
Morehead City Firemen Object To Rebuilding of New Fire Truck
Morehead City firemen at their meeting Monday night at the fire station discussed at length the rebuilding of the new Four-Wheel Drive fire truck which was loaded on a freight car Tuesday morning and shipped back to the factory in Wisconsin. Many of the firemen declared that if the truck does come back they won’t move a foot of hose off of it./p>
Others said they will quit the fire department rather than have anything to do with the piece of equipment.
The new truck, wrecked May 1 near Newport, has been a bone of contention between the town and the fire department ever since it was ordered. Killed May 1, while driving the truck on its test run, was Andrew Bell.
“Andrew would be alive today if they had gotten the kind of truck we wanted,” some of the firemen declare. When the town ordered the FWD equipment, the fire department members were dissatisfied, saying that they preferred Oren equipment.
Acting Fire Chief Eldon Nelson, while admitting that many of his men are up in arms about getting the new truck rebuilt and returned, said yesterday, “There’s nothing we can do about it. I’ve talked to the mayor. The truck has been purchased by the North Carolina Equipment co. from the manufacturer and the town is obligated to accept it. Also the cost of new fire trucks has gone way up since the FWD was ordered.”
Grady Bell, brother of Andrew, and chief of the department until he was injured in the fire truck wreck with his brother, attended Monday’s meeting for a little while, the first time he has been present since the accident.
The department requested Chief Nelson to go before the mayor and town board and suggest that repairs be made both to the grandstand at Wade Brothers park and to the school gymnasium, because firemen have found rotten timbers and rafters to be dangerously near the point of collapsing. By state law firemen are required to act as inspectors of buildings.
Five men have been appointed to attend the State Firemen’s convention at Carolina Beach Aug. 20-23. They are Vernon Guthrie, representing Chief Nelson, Clyde Blanchard, George Thomas Lawrence, Charles Lucas Willis, and Daniel Lee Willis. Their expenses will be paid by the town.
The town has presented the fire department with a movie projector and a movie screen which has been salvaged from the USO building. The equipment, 16 mm with sound, will be used to show educational films.
Thirty-five attended the meeting. Fire Commissioner Dr. John Morris was not present.