1945 — Feb 17, fire from welding torch in candy co., Maefair Apartments, Tacoma, WA–19

Compiled by Wayne Blanchard for: http://www.usdeadlyevents.com/  Last edit 12-12-2023.

–19  NFPA. “Photographs of Recent Fires.” Quarterly of the NFPA, 38/4, April 1945, p. 239.

–19  Seattle Times. “Worst Fires,” April 29, 1998.

–19  UP. “Tacoma Fire Toll Rises to 19 Dead.” Wisconsin State Journal, Madison, 2-20-1945, p3.

            [The number reported as known dead is 17 with 2 others “known” to have been in the

building, but bodies not found.]

–18  UP. “Says Delayed Alarm Causes Fire Deaths.” Telegraph-Herald, Dubuque, IA, 2-22-1945, p.6.

Narrative Information

National Fire Protection Association: “Nineteen lives were lost in this Tacoma, Washington apartment building fire on February 17, 1945. Less than half of the 85 occupants escaped injury. The fire started in the basement about 2 a.m., supposedly from welding operations in the premises of a candy company [Hamilton Candy Co., (tacomalibrary.org)] There were neither automatic sprinklers nor any barrier to the upward spread of fire, and the flames shot up the open stairway and involved the entire 4-story, brick veneer building before the sleeping occupants could escape.” (NFPA. “Photographs of Recent Fires.” Quarterly of the NFPA, 38/4, April 1945, p. 239.)

Seattle Times, 1998: “…fire caused by sparks from a welding torch.”  (Seattle Times. “Worst Fires,” April 29, 1998.)

Newspapers

Feb 17, (AP): “Tacoma, Wash., Feb. 17. (AP) – Fire Chief C. J. Eisenbacher said today he anticipated ‘a minimum of 10 persons’ lost their lives early today when a fire of undetermined origin destroyed an apartment building in the business district housing between 75 and 85 persons. With one known dead and one known missing, and 13 treated for burns and injuries from leaping from windows and the roof of the flaming structure, Chief Eisenbacher told interviewers he believed the blaze would prove itself Tacoma’s worst when firemen would be able to enter the wreckage and search for bodies. An unidentified young woman died in Pierce County hospital of burns.

“Firemen rescued many of the occupants with ladders and life nets. Still others jumped from windows or made their way down fire escapes.

“The building was the four-story Maefair, a masonry-covered frame building, whose 43 apartments were crowded with war workers’ families, and the wives and children of service men.

“Flames were seen to burst from the windows and race skyward through an inside light well about 2 a.m., Fire Chief C. J. Eisenbacher said witnesses told him. The fire was under control four hours later.

“Mrs. Martha Rolland, who lived alone in a rear apartment, was missing.” (Associated Press. “Blazing Apartment Takes Unknown Toll.” Wichita Daily Times, TX. 2-17-1945, p. 1.)

Feb 18, UP: “Tacoma, Wash. (UP). Firemen Saturday night removed 12 charred bodies from the smouldering ruins of the flame-swept Maefair apartment house, and…more were believed trapped in upper floors when fire destroyed the building early Saturday. Sixteen others, suffering from severe burns, were rushed to hospitals.

“Firemen working desperately to rescue tenants of the four-story building watched entire families fall into the flames as the floors collapsed.

“Thirty-one of the 73 known tenants of the building still were missing. Authorities believed some of them had gone to the homes of relatives or friends.

“Cause of the blaze, which followed an explosion like ‘an earthquake,’ remained undetermined, but some said the blast came from a candy factory in the basement.” (United Press. “Tacoma fire too mounting.” Sunday Journal and Star, Lincoln, NE. 2-18-1945, p. 1.)

Feb 19, AP: “Tacoma, Wash. (AP) – The death toll in the tragic Maefair apartments fire now stands at 16, six of whom remain unidentified. Five more bodies were recovered late yesterday from the buildings. The Red Cross has a list of nine reported missing, leading to an estimate of at least three more bodies concealed in the rubble.” (Associated Press. “Blaze Kills 16.” Pocatello Tribune, ID, 2-29-1945, p. 1.)

Feb 20, UP: “Tacoma, Wash. – (U.P.) – The number of known dead in the disastrous Maefair apartment house fire rose to 19 today as fire officials announced that two persons whose bodies have not yet been found were known to have been in the building. Of 17 bodies discovered, 12 now are identified.

“Incomplete lists of tenants and visitors in the building Saturday night when the fire broke out indicated that two or three more persons may have been trapped. The fire started in a candy shop in the basement of the building. It was believed it may have been caused by sparks from welding torches used by workmen in the shop Friday night.” (United Press. “Tacoma Fire Toll Rises to 19 Dead.” Wisconsin State Journal, Madison, 2-20-1945, p. 3.)

Feb 22, UP: “Tacoma, Wash. – (U.P.) – Fire Chief Charles J. Eisenbacher said Thursday that the heavy death toll from last Saturday’s Mayfair apartment fire might have been avoided if an alarm had been turned in earlier. Eisenbacher told a committee investigating the worst blaze in Tacoma’s history, which caused 18 deaths, that the first alarm was not recorded until 2:12 a.m. Survivors reported the interior of the four-story building was ‘blazing furiously’ at 1:55 a.m, he said.

“Meanwhile, the bodies of three women and two men remained unidentified, while another body was identified late Wednesday as Miss Margaret Mabe, Bristo, Tenn. ….” (United Press. “Says Delayed Alarm Causes Fire Deaths.” Telegraph-Herald, Dubuque, IA, 2-22-1945, p. 6.)

Feb 25: “….Forest L. Kammerer is listed as missing after an apartment fire in Tacoma. He was a Nonpareil pressman for many years….” (Council Bluffs Nonpareil, IA. “….And Here At Home.” 2-25-1945, p. 6.)

Sources

Associated Press. “Blaze Kills 16.” Pocatello Tribune, ID, 2-29-1945, p. 1. Accessed 12-12-2023 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/the-pocatello-tribune-feb-19-1945-p-1/

Associated Press. “Blazing Apartment Takes Unknown Toll.” Wichita Daily Times, TX. 2-17-1945, p. 1. Accessed 12-12-2023 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/wichita-daily-times-feb-17-1945-p-1/

Council Bluffs Nonpareil, IA. “….And Here At Home.” 2-25-1945, p. 6. Accessed 12-12-2023 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/council-bluffs-iowa-nonpareil-feb-25-1945-p-6/

National Fire Protection Association. “Photographs of Recent Fires.” Quarterly of the National Fire Protection Association, Vol. 38, No. 4, April 1945, pp. 232-248.

Seattle Times, WA “Worst Fires,” 4-29-1998. Accessed 7-1-2017 at:  http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=19980429&slug=2747905

TacomaLibrary. “Maefair Apartment Fire.” 2-27-2017. Accessed 12-12-2023 at: https://www.tacomalibrary.org/blogs/post/maefair-apartment-fire/

United Press. “Says Delayed Alarm Causes Fire Deaths.” Telegraph-Herald, Dubuque, IA, 2-22-1945, p. 6. Accessed 12-12-2023 at:

https://newspaperarchive.com/dubuque-telegraph-herald-feb-22-1945-p-6/

United Press. “Tacoma fire toll mounting.” Sunday Journal and Star, Lincoln, NE. 2-18-1945, p. 1. Accessed 12-12-2023: https://newspaperarchive.com/lincoln-nebraska-state-journal-feb-18-1945-p-1/

United Press. “Tacoma Fire Toll Rises to 19 Dead.” Wisconsin State Journal, Madison, 2-20-1945, p. 3. Accessed 12-12-2023 at:

https://newspaperarchive.com/madison-wisconsin-state-journal-feb-20-1945-p-3/