Cincinnati Fire Department History: 3 Alarm Fire - Walnut Hills Car Barn

Extra Alarm Spotlight - Walnut Hills Car Barn Fire - 25 July 1949

Cincinnati Enquirer - 26 Jul 1949

Around 4am Patrolman Emerson Lucas called in on the radio to report a fire in the street railway car barn at 1611 Hewitt Avenue in Walnut Hills. E23 was the first fire company to arrive on scene. When companies pulled up the entire structure was fully involved despite a three minute response time. Fire Marshal William Flamm arrived and put in the call for a 3rd Alarm. When the fire was dispatched Marshal George rushed to his buggy along with driver Joseph Ellison of Ladder 16. They pulled out of the firehouse and sped to the scene when without warning their brakes "dragged" as they turned onto Madison from Erie. The vehicle flipped and both men were lucky to escape without injury. To firefighters working the blaze suffered minor hand lacerations.

Engine 23 and Ladder 9 (Renumber Ladder 23) were the first companies to arrive

at the scene of the Car Barn Fire

Courtesy: Cincinnati Fire Museum

Firefighter Joseph Ellison who was driving Marshal George's Buggy when it flipped in the intersection of

Erie and Madison while en route to the Car Barn Fire. They were responding from E46s Quarters on Hyde Park Square

Robb Family Collection

The fire was brought under control in 30 minutes. 17 streetcars were lost in the fire. The building was in the process of being emptied of streetcars so that it could be remodeled to house gasoline buses. 23 streetcars had been moved from the structure only days earlier. Chief Houston noted he felt the fire was arson given the fact that the entire structure was involved in fire upon arrival of fire companies. Arson investigators looked into reports of a couple leaving one of the 17 streetcars hours prior to the fire. Other reports suggested children might have been responsible.