Remembering Our Fallen: 9/21/1904 and 9/21/1943

By Assistant Chief Gregory Taft

September 21, 1904: The day before, firefighters were dispatched to the Denver Post Printing & Publishing Co., located at 1623 Curtis St. An  employee had used a hammer on a Plaster of Paris cork to open a glass carboy containing nitric acid. The car boy shattered spilling the acid throughout the etching room. Employees then attempted to cover the spill with saw dust, which then caught fire. Upon arrival dense smoke was coming from the etching room. After extinguishing the blaze and cleaning up the spill, the firefighters staggered outside. A breath of fresh air, was thought all they needed. The firefighters returned to their quarters, however throughout the early evening hours, the coughing got worse and their chest pains increased. Then one by one, they went home and later to the hospital. In all, 18 firefighters were hospitalized that evening from the effects of nitric acid inhalation. Lt. Charles W. Dolloff, age 28, of Engine Co. 4 was the first to succumb, shortly thereafter Firefighter John “Handsome Jack” McGlade, age 3,5 of Hook & Ladder 2 passed away. The remaining firefighters clung to life, but others would soon perish. The bodies of Lt. Dolloff and FF McGlade were taken to City Hall to Lie in State. There they were viewed by thousands until their funerals. These gallant firefighters became the 11th and 12th Denver Firefighters to make the supreme sacrifice.

September 21, 1943: The day before, a small brush fire ignited timbers in Tunnel No. 10 of the Moffat Tunnel Rail Line. The tunnel is a 1600′ bore located approximately 27 miles west of Denver, with no road access to the area. The Denver & Salt Lake Railroad contacted Chief Healy the Department Chief and requested assistance in extinguishing the blaze. The Chief knew the importance of this rail line route and agreed to send a crew. He choose Douglas V. Parrish, Assistant Superintendent of the Fire Department Shops because of his knowledge of fire pumps, Firefighter James Williams, the Chief’s driver from Station 8 because of his knowledge of mines, and 2 volunteers, Captain William Parry and Firefighter John Kennedy both from Engine 8. Engine 4, one of the departments newest, was loaded onto a flat car in Denver and along with 3 rail cars full of water and they departed for the fire. Late that night they arrived at the tunnel. Captain Parry, Williams and Kennedy went into the tunnel to fight the blaze, Captain Parry later stumbled out of the tunnel, his gas mask not working properly. Parrish grabbed a gas mask and rushed into the tunnel to help Williams and Kennedy. Winds shifted and the tunnel became a blazing inferno, resulting in a cave in of the tunnel. The body of Parrish, age 47, was recovered 100 yards inside the tunnel the next day. The body of Kennedy, age 34, would not be recovered until November 21st and Williams, age 39, was recovered on November 24th, both deep inside the tunnel. These brave men became the 36th, 37th and 38th Denver Firefighters to die in the line of duty.