Photo Credit: City of Buffalo / Buffalo FD

BUFFALO, NEW YORK — On December 27, 1983, the City of Buffalo and its Fire Department suffered a tremendous loss of life for five (5) firefighters and two civilians. Yesterday, the City held a memorial ceremony which has been an annual tradition since that fateful night, which starts at the corner of North Division and Grosvenor in the City.

On December 27th, firefighters and equipment with the Buffalo Fire Department were dispatched for a report of a propane gas leak in a large, four-story radiator 50 feet by 100 feet warehouse located on the corner of Division and Grosvenor.

Engine 32 was first due and reported nothing showing after Truck 5 and Engine 1 with the 3rd Battalion arriving. Battalion Chief Harry Supple assumed Command. Thirty-seven seconds later after letting Dispatch know he keyed up his radio to state he was assuming command, the building exploded.

All five firefighters on Ladder 5 were instantly killed in the line-of-duty blast, as well as two civilians in a nearby home (exposure building). More than 300 people were injured including 11 firefighters. Over 150 people were transported to hospitals.

The explosion was said to have leveled several structures on four City blocks and substantially damaged buildings that were further away, about 15 miles away.

The intensity of the blast, threw Ladder 5 apparatus 30 feet into the air which then landed in the front yard of a home. A wall of the warehouse fell onto Engine 32, which became buried in the rubble. Engine 1 was thrown across the street after being impacted by the blast. It had trapped and injured firefighters inside of the apparatus.

Photo Credit: ebrary.net (Buffalo & Erie County Public Library)

Chief Supple was seriously injured when he was impaled by a metal stake from the blast but continued to Command the incident, giving assignments, and ordering additional resources. He would survive until he died in 2001, at 76 years of age.

Another 19 firefighters were injured in the rescue efforts.

We remember today, the following who were killed on that fateful night:

Firefighter Mike Austin, 39, Truck 5.

Firefighter Mickey Catanzaro, 37, Truck 5.

Firefighter Red Lickfield, 43, Truck 5.

Firefighter Tony Wazkielewicz,37, Truck 5.

Firefighter Matty Colpoys, 47, Truck 5.

Alfred & Jessie Arnold, civilians.

The cause was determined to be an improperly stored 500-gallon propane tank that had been mishandled. The tank fell off of a forklift breaking the valve as an employee tried to move it to another location. The warehouse filled with propane gasses and found an ignition source, sparking a deadly blast.

This is said to be the deadliest number of firefighters killed in the line of duty in the Buffalo Fire Department history.

Sources: The Buffalo Fire Department, The Southtowns Scanner, Wikipedia, Buffalo & Erie County Public Library.

(c) 2024 NW Fire Blog – Published December 28, 2024, 1700 PT