1945 — May 7, Fire, Victory House (war workers lodging), Mobile, AL                   —     12

Last edit Dec 5, 2023 by Wayne Blanchard for upload to: http://www.usdeadlyevents.com/

–12-14  Abilene Reporter-News, TX. “14 Die in Blaze.” 5-7-1945, p. 15.[1]

—     12  Dothan Eagle, AL. “Angus Strickland Dies in Mobile Fire.” 5-7-1945, p. 1.

—     12  National Fire Protect. Assoc. Spreadsheet on Large Loss of Life Fires (as of Feb 2003).

—     12  Statesville Daily Record, NC. “Rooming House Fire Fatal to Twelve.” 5-8-1945, p. 13.

Narrative Information

May 7: “Mobile, Ala., May 6 – (AP) – Twelve persons burned to death early today and two others were critically injured in a fire that destroyed a three story brick lodging house. The house, known as “Victory House,” accommodated war workers.  Firemen said the blaze, of undetermined origin, was believed to have started on the second floor of the structure.”  (Abilene Reporter-News, TX. “14 Die in Blaze.” 5-7-1945, p. 15.)

May 7: “The body of a Mobile fire victim one of 12 persons who died in a lodging house blaze early yesterday morning has been identified as that of Angus Strickland, former Dothan man who was employed by the U. S. Engineers at Mobile according to Henry D. Strickland a cousin….

“Mobile, Ala. – (AP) – Police and firemen today established tentative identification of nine of 12 persons who died in a lodging house fire early yesterday.  Three others were injured and five escaped the building unhurt.  Investigation of the fire, believed to have started on the second floor of the three story building known as ‘Victory House,’ continued amid reports that an explosion preceded the blaze. 

“Twenty persons were believed to have been in the building. Four persons in the building, which accommodated war workers, jumped from the second and third stories to the pavement, and two of them died. Nine of the victims were tentatively identified as follows:

Delford F. Still, 29, of Plateau, Ala.

Angus Strickland…

Herman Gorlich, 5456 Kishwood Ct., Chicago, Ill.

Earl Dansen, Mobile.

Stover Lainpley [unclear], Repton [unclear], Ala.

Cleve Speer…Birmingham, Ala.

Leonard Tidemore, shipyard worker, Mobile.

Bernard Foster, address unavailable.

William T. Horton, native of Helena, Ala.”

(Dothan Eagle, AL. “Angus Strickland Dies in Mobile Fire.” 5-7-1945, pp. 1-2.)

May 7: “Mobile, Ala., May 7, (UP) — Police today attempted to identify three of 12 persons burned to death yesterday when a three-story rooming house in downtown Mobile was destroyed by fire.  Nine bodies had been tentatively identified. Charred remains of 10 of the dead were removed from upper floor rooms where they had been sleeping. Two others, awakened by the flames, leaped from second story windows to the pavement and died of injuries en route to the hospital. Many of the 30 estimated guests were rescued by firemen who fought their way through smoke-clogged hallways.  Cause of the fire was unknown.” (Statesville Daily Record, NC. “Rooming House Fire Fatal to Twelve.” 5-8-1945, p. 13.)

Sources

Abilene Reporter-News, TX. “14 Die in Blaze.” 5-7-1945, p. 15. Accessed at: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=74753353&sterm=victory+house

Dothan Eagle, AL. “Angus Strickland Dies in Mobile Fire.” 5-7-1945, p. 1. Accessed at: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=30016158&sterm=fire+mobile+victory

National Fire Protection Association. Spreadsheet on Large Loss of Life Fires (as of Feb 2003). (Email attachment to B. W. Blanchard from Jacob Ratliff, NFPA Archivist/Taxonomy Librarian, 7-8-2013.)

Statesville Daily Record, NC. “Rooming House Fire Fatal to Twelve.” 5-8-1945, p. 13. Accessed at: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=8823214&sterm

[1] Though the title notes fourteen deaths, the article notes 12 plus two “critically injured.”