Archive of posts filed under the LODD category.

Three Asheville Firefighters Killed in Bostian Bridge Train Wreck, 1891

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This posted was updated in March 2023 with an important correction, about the correct names of the three firefighters killed. It’s also been expanded with new narratives about the incident and its aftermath, and converted to a linked PDF document.  On August 27, 1891, three Asheville firemen were killed and three others were injured when …

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Waynesville Fire Chief Lawrence Kerley Killed in Explosion – July 14, 1942

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This is a blog version of a Facebook posting from August 14, 2020. Tale of a tragedy. Early in the morning of Tuesday, July 14, 1942, a pair of explosion at a bulk fuel storage facility in Waynesville, NC, killed six people, and also fatally injured Fire Chief Lawrence Kerley. Below are a pair of …

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Death of New Bern Assistant Fire Chief Johnnie Gaskill, 1904

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How exactly did New Bern Assistant Fire Chief John “Johnnie” J. Gaskill die in the line of duty on November 6, 1904? His death been long-attributed to injuries resulting from a fire horse kicking him in the head. In recent years, NBFD historian Daniel Bartholf dug deep into surviving records and newspaper clippings and wasn’t …

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Raleigh Rescue Squad Member Drowns, 1959

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This is a blog version of a Facebook posting from February 2021. On Thursday, April 23, 1959, Raleigh Emergency Rescue Squad volunteer member and Wake County Sheriff’s Deputy Robert L. Battle, 45, drowned in the Cape Fear River in Chatham County. He was serving as a squad member and assisting with a search for a …

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Facts and Figures about North Carolina Fallen Firefighters

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Posting created July 2022 Last updated June 2023 This is a blog version of an earlier Facebook posting. Random data play. Facts and figures about the 333 names on the North Carolina Fallen Firefighters Memorial, from research by Legeros. Contents – Career vs. Volunteer vs. Part-Time – Causes – Counties with Highest Counts – Departments …

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Baltimore Line of Duty Deaths

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This is a blog version of a Facebook posting from January 24, 2022. Terrible news in Baltimore today, January 24, 2022. Three firefighters dead and fourth in critical condition after the partial collapse at a three-story row house, about 6:00 a.m. Killed were Lt. Paul Butrim, Firefighter/Paramedic Kelsey Sadler, and EMT/Firefighter Kenny Lacayo. Hospitalized and …

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Waynesville Explosion, 1942

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Tale of a tragedy from western North Carolina. Early in the morning of Tuesday, July 14, 1942, a pair of explosion at a bulk fuel storage facility in Waynesville killed six people, and also fatally injured Fire Chief Lawrence Kerley. The local newspaper, the weekly Waynesville Mountaineer, provided ample coverage of the disaster, including these …

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Looking Back at North Carolina Fallen Firefighters

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Saturday, May 2, 2020, was the planned date for the 15th Annual North Carolina Fallen Firefighters Memorial Service. Due to the coronavirus, the event was postponed to August, to be co-located with the South Atlantic Fire Rescue Expo. On Friday, the postponed NCFFF events were announced as cancelled. This year’s addition to the memorial will …

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North Carolina Firefighters to be Honored at National Fallen Firefighters Memorial

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The 38th National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Service will be held in Emmitsburg, MD, on Sunday, October 6, 2019, to honor 92 firefighters who died in the line of duty in 2018 and 27 firefighters who died in the line of duty in previous years. The North Carolina firefighters being honored are: Michael Gene Goodnight West …

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