Scope and ContentReference information on the history of the Hoboken Fire Department as found on department's website as of 2010. Digital record only; no file copy. List of Fire Chiefs, Hoboken Fire Department Ivan [sic Ivin D.] Applegate: 1891-1906 Michael Dunn: 1906-1918 John Gilday: 1918-1944* George Bonin: 1949-1957 Patrick J. Carmody: 1958-1977 James Houn: 1977-1990 Richard Tremitiedi: 1990-1995 John J. Cassesa: 1995-2008 Richard Blohm: 2009-Present *Note: Fire Captain Martin Smith served as Acting Chief from August of 1944 through 1948. ______ Important Fires in Hoboken History [as listed on the Fire Department website as of 2010} 1897: A fire in a blacksmith shop at Adams and Newark Streets causes the death of three people. 1900: A fire at a pier warehouse spreads to three ships of the North German Lloyd Fleet, burns for three days and kills 300 people. It causes $5 million in property damage. Fire claims thirteen lives at Adams and First Streets. 1905: The Lackawanna Ferryhouse and the famous Duke's House Restaurant and Tavern are destroyed by a fire. The ferry boats Hopatcong and Binghamton are also destroyed. 1908: A gas tank at the corner of Twelfth and Clinton Streets burns for six days. 1915: The famous Hexamer's Riding Academy at 215 Hudson St. is destroyed. 1921: Thirteen people lose their lives at the Palace Hotel on Newark Street. Fire totally destroys Pier 5, with damage estimated at $3 million. However the contents of the pier- 5,795 bodies of United States Servicemen being returned from France - are saved. 1937: A blaze destroys the entire block east of Hudson Street between Eleventh and Twelfth streets, including the R. G. Matthews Corporation. 1944: Pier 4 is destroyed with damage exceeding $4 million. 1949: Nine fireman, including Capt. Martin Sinatra, father of Frank Sinatra, the singer, were injured or overcome by smoke last night battling a blaze in Hoboken that gutted a five-story manufacturing loft building on Washington Street and spread to two adjoining buildings. Damage was estimated at $25,000 . Smoke covered an area of two square blocks. Several thousand spectators flocked to the scene and traffic was disrupted on Washington Street for several hours. Captain Sinatra was treated at the scene for smoke poisoning. Other firemen treated were Michael Sheridan, smoke poisoning and arm injury; Daniel Murphy, smoke poisoning; John Coyle, hand injury; John McKnight, hand injury; Michael Stiles, smoke poisoning; John Stetson, burns of the left arm; Walter Schlicher, smoke poisoning, and Joseph O'Brien, stomach injuries. Fire companies were called from Union City and Jersey City to battle the blaze, which was of undetermined origin. It was discovered at 7:45 p.m. and brought under control within an hour after the first companies reached the scene. 1967: A tenement house fire kills five people at 415 Monroe St., the birthplace of Frank Sinatra. (Incidentally, Frank's father Anthony, had joined the fire department in 1927 and was promoted to the rank of Captain in 1944.) 1973: An arson fire at a tenement at Eleventh Street and Willow Avenue claims 11 lives. 1979: An arson fire at 131 Clinton Street claims 21 lives. 1981: An arson fire claims 11 lives at a tenement at Twelfth and Washington Streets. 1982: An arson fire at Pinter's Hotel at Fourteenth Street claims 12 lives. 1985: A fire starts at the old Levelor Blinds Building on Monroe Street between Eighth and Ninth Streets and destroys 30 businesses, eight industrial firms and 92 cars. It also damages 14 homes. Two-thousand jobs are lost, and the estimated damage is $10 million. 1988: Firefighter Robert Mazzo’s Last Alarm 1994: A tenement fire at 308 Madison Street claims two lives. One child was rescued from the burning apartment. The fire alarm system was not in operation at the time of the fire. 1997: Fire in a 10 story senior citizen complex claims three lives. Fire Captain makes rescue despite serious injury incurred during rescue. 1998: All hands fire at 917 Clinton Street seriously damaging three 5 story attached apartment buildings. Fire spread horizontally via numerous hidden voids in construction. [end]