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Below you’ll find a non-exhaustive list of significant events in fire service history that happened in the month of November, including major incidents, firefighter line-of-duty deaths (LODDs), innovations, and the like. Thanks to Grant Schwalbe and Sam Hittle for proving their insights, as well as the work of Glenn Corbett.
Some of these incidents may provide a springboard for your company training or training ideas for drills.
Faulty power line starts fire in Los Angeles County; 11 El Cariso hotshots die in Loop Fire, 1966
Dance hall fire kills 125, Grenoble, France, 1970
Explosion kills thousands, Salan Tunnel, Afghanistan, 1982
Metal mine fire kills 51, Ishpeming, MI, 1926
Forest fire damages 37 homes, Topanga, CA, 1948
Sunday Creek #6 coal mine explosion kills 82, Millfield, OH, 1930
National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) is founded, Boston, MA, 1896
Halifax (NS) Poor House fire kills 31, 1882
LODD: Houston (TX) Firefighter Marcelo Garcia killed in collapse at warehouse fire, 2024
First recorded use of mechanical water tower, NYC, 1879
Great Boston Fire, loss worth $1.146M, 1872
USS Mount Hood munitions explosion kills 373, Admiralty Islands, 1944
Coats boarding house fire kills 14, Pioneer, OH, 1979
Tinker AFB repair plant fire, $244M loss, Norman, OK, 1984
St. Paul coal mine explosion kills 259, Cherry, IL, 1909
LODD: Worcester (MA) Fire Lieutenant Jason James Menard dies, 2019
LODD: Chicago Firefighter Andrew Price dies, 2023
Hoechst Celanese Chemical fire, $346M loss, Pampa, TX, 1987
Stratford Apartments home hotel fire kills 25, Los Angeles, CA, 1973
Northwestern Mine explosion kills 31, Ravensdale, WA, 1915
Learn Not to Burn Foundation incorporated, Quincy, MA,1986
National Firemen’s Journal (Fire Engineering) publishes first issue, 1877
Ballantyne Department Store fire kills 41, Christchurch, New Zealand, 1947
Gas storage area explosion kills 334, Mexico City, Mexico, 1984
Club Cinq Sept fire kills 143, St. Laurent du Pont, France, 1971
MGM Grand Hotel fire kills 85, Las Vegas, NV, 1980
Phillips Dance Hall & Martin’s Grocery fire kills 25, Ville Platte, LA, 1919
Golden Age nursing home fire kills 63, Fitchville, OH, 1963
Home gas explosions kill 105, Danaciobasi, Turkey, 1980
Taeyokale Hotel fire kills 163, Seoul, South Korea, 1971
Pakistani International B-707 in-flight fire kills 156, Saudi Arabia, 1979
Capitol International DC-8 post-crash kills 47, Anchorage, AK, 1970
Cocoanut Grove night club fire kills 492, Boston, MA, 1942
Hotel Concorde wedding reception fire kills 11, Margarita Isl., Venezuela, 1987
Boomer #2 coal mine explosion kills 23, Boomer, WV, 1915
