CAPT.
LAWRENCE W. KRUMSIEK
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Funeral services for the late Captain Lawrence W. Krumsiek,
Engine Company 2-A were held at the Euclid Heights Methodist
Church, 537 Euclid Avenue, on Thursday, September 12th, at
3:00 p.m.
Captain Krumsiek was born on Jan. 25,
1897, at Corder, Missouri, and passed away on September 8,
1935 at Los Angeles, California.
He was appointed to the Los Angeles Fire
Department on February 15, 1926, appointed Auto-Fireman on
July 1, 1929, and appointed Captain on December 1, 1932.
Captain Krumsiek lost his life by an
accident sustained on the line of duty.
He was a member of the Los Angeles
Firemen's Relief Association and the Life and Accident
Department. The funeral services were under the auspices of
the Los Angeles Firemen's Relief Association, eulogy
by Reverend Toothaker of the Euclid Heights Methodist Church
and was assisted by John Y Cordell, Chaplain of
the Los Angeles Fire department.
Captain Krumsiek was a veteran of the
World War.
The members of the Fire Fighters Post No.
102, American Legion, acted as Honor Guard. Internment
was at the Mausoleum, Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Glendale,
Calif.
He leaves to mourn his loss his widow,
the former Irene Anthony, his son, Donald Maurice, his
daughter, Muriel Jeanette, his sister, Emma, his brothers,
Herbert, Frank, Edwin, Dan, Albert, Carl, and Heinrich, and
a host of comrades and friends.
The personnel of the Fire Department
joins in extending their deepest sympathy to the bereaved
family. |
FIREMAN
GEORGE A. DAMRON
_____
Fireman George A. Damron, who lost his life in the discharge
of duty, Saturday, September 8th, as a member of Engine
Company No. 2-A, was placed to rest on a beautiful hillside
overlooking Forest Lawn Memorial Park.
He was born March 24, 1892, at Rising Star,
Texas, where he remained until thirty years of age. In
1914 he met and married Miss Mildred Reese. This union
was blessed with two lovely daughters, Melrose and Charlotte.
He came to Los Angeles in 1922 and became a
member of the Los Angeles Fire Department on September 5,
1923. At the time he was assigned to Engine 2 where he
served most of his time, became a member of the Los Angeles
Firemen's Relief Association and Life and Accident Department
on the third day of October, 1923.
The memorial services, held in the Little
Church of the Flowers, Forest Lawn Memorial Park, under the
auspices of the Los Angeles Firemen's Relief Association with
Doctor G. A. Briegleb, Honorary Chaplain and John Y. Cordell,
Chaplain of the L. A. F. D. officiating.
During his extreme suffering, between the
time of the accident and his dearth, there was never a murmer,
or complaint, but always praise for those of his associates
and superior officers under which he served.
He leaves his widow, Mrs. Mildred Damron,
two daughters, Melrose and Charlotte, two sisters, Mrs. Beula
Tune, of O'Donald, Texas, and Mrs. Mamie E. Cordell of Los
Angeles, and a brother, Earl E. Damron, of Pomona, Calif., and
a host of comrades and friends.
The members of the Los Angeles Fire
Department extend their deepest sympathy in the loss of a real
fireman and friend.
"Grater love hath no man than to give
his life for his Friend." |
By Bill Gross
FIREMAN GEORGE DAMRON, atop a tall ladder in the quarters of Engine 2 was busy shining the
towering brass pole and giving forth with "When It's Springtime in the Rockies,"
in his soft southern drawl, when he was rudely interrupted by the racous jibes of Fireman
Hinson of Truck 2 as to the quality of his singing. One word led to another and the good
natured bantering ended with each promising to attend the funeral of the other. In their
careless mood, little did they realize that death was preparing to deal a double hand to
the engine house at First and Chicago streets. Later in the same day, Damron, in a more
serious mood said to the engine company's auto-fireman, Tommy Williams: "Tommy, if
anything should ever happen to me I want you to take care of my things. Events
began to unfold rapidly on the morning of September 7, 1935. In the low two-story building
housing the Mission Painted Fabric Company, 1481 East Fourth street, Elliot Theobold owner
of the plant and Gordon Gould, the foreman, were standing by a waterproofing tank which
was about twenty feet from the front door on the east side of the building. The building
contained several such vats, which were filled with different types of mixtures, some of
paint, some of solvent and wax, and other substances necessary to the processing of
decorative canvas. In addition, on the floor throughout the building there were many open
barrel-like containers holding the various inflammable materials from which the supplies
of the vats were replenished. The vat near which the two men were standing was about 7
feet wide and 2 feet high, standing on legs three feet off the floor.
It held a mixture of wax, petroleum oil, gasoline thinner and paint pigment,
through which rolls of canvas were fed to be waterproofed. The canvas then passed through
dryers and stretchers and onto overhead racks hanging from the top of the building where
the drying was completed.
It was near this dipping tank that the two men first noticed a flash of fire
approximately ten inches from the floor. From this start the canvas rapidly ignited and
the fire raced to the vats and in split seconds a muffled explosion swathed the entire
vapor filled building with roaring flame. Luckily, only slightly singed, Theobold made a
dash for the office to put through a call for help. But he no sooner lifted the receiver
off the hook than the line went dead as the fire ate away the structure.
Outside the building a passerby, noting the
flames pouring through the openings of the building, pulled three different
boxes in the neighborhood; 6113 at Third and Pecan: 6121 at Fourth and Anderson,
and 6122 at Fourth and Gless streets. Of these the
signal office transmitted box 6122 which brought Engines 2, 5, 17, and 24, Trucks 24 and
17, Salvage 24, and Acting Battalion Chief George Dyer of Battalion 7 to the scene.
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At Engine 2s Captain Lawrence W. Krumsiek checked the register tape as the house
gongs tapped out the signal, and called out the location to his auto-fireman, Tommy
Williams. As the big red wagon neared the fire Captain Krumsiek sized up the situation and
ordered two lines laid from the plug at Fourth and Gless streets. Stopping in front of the
building, extra lengths of hose were quickly pulled off and the officer then sent Williams
and Fireman Bruce King with one line into a doorway in the center of the building and
taking George Damron with him clambered up onto the loading dock opening near the east end
of the building on the Fourth street side. From this vantage point the two started to bore
their way into the sea of flame.
While the men of 2s were so engaged other companies arrived from the west and
south and the burning structure was soon surrounded with lines working from every vantage
point. Twenty-fours went around to the east side of the building while 5s and 17s covered
the west and front and the truckmen took care of the situation from strategically placed
ladders and the roof.
In the seeming short space of a few minutes the principal fire was extinguished
and all that remained was a few obstinate corners and several of the barrels which still
continued to burn. The water by this time was running out of the building practically
ankle deep and floating on top of it was paint, gasoline, wax and the other materials used
in the plant's processes. Captain Krumsiek and Damron had penetrated well into the
building when a cloud of vapor, presumably from one of the heated open containers laying
around, flashed about the two men and simultaneously set fire to the flammables floating
on the water they were standing in. As they quickly retreated they lost their footing on
the slippery floor and fell amid the burning oils, but rising again they made their way to
the outside of the building, emerging as though two living torches blanketed in flames.
Comrades nearby ran to their assistance and quickly smothered the flames and removed their
burning clothing. An ambulance was called from the Boyle Heights station and the two badly
injured men were rushed to the Receiving Hospital.
Meanwhile CO 2. 17 was summoned and along with it Assistant Chief John G. Johnson, in command of
Division 1-A, arrived to take charge. It was a tight lipped, heavy hearted bunch of men
that put out the rest of the fire and awaited news of their stricken brothers.
At Georgia street both men were found to have second and third degree burns on
their faces, throats, hands and fingers, forearms and the legs up to the hips. Captain
Krumsiek was in the worse condition of the two, for it was believed he had inhaled some of
the flames as he had lain in them. Even one side of his metal helmet had been melted off
by the terrific heat. This capable, well liked officer,, earmarked for big things in the
department by all who knew him, passed away on the following morning, September 8, 9:45
o'clock, in the presence of his family.
George Damron, having possibly the worse external burns of the two, but no
internal burns, seemingly rallied for the first few days, then congestion of the lungs and
urinary poisoning set in and after a very valiant fight he, too, died on September 13.
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Damron was born in Rising Star, Texas, on March 24, 1892. He married Miss
Mildred Reese in 1914 and two daughters, Melrose and Charlotte, were born on their union.
Coming to Los Angeles in 1922, he was appointed to the Los Angeles Fire Department on
September 5, 1923, and spent most of his time on the job at Engine 2. During his extreme
suffering, between the time of the accident and his death, there was never a murmur of
complaint, but always praise for those of his associates and superior officers under whom
he served. Memorial services were held in the Little Church of the Flowers, Forest Lawn
Memorial Park, under the auspices of the Relief Association, with Chaplain Cordell and
honorary chaplain, Dr. G. A. Briegleb, officiating. George Damron was placed to rest on a
beautiful hillside overlooking the park.
Captain Krumsiek was born January 25, 1897, at Corder, Missouri. he was
appointed to the fire department February 15, 1926, made auto-fireman July 1, 1929, and
appointed Captain December 1, 1932. He was survived by his widow, Irene A., his son,
Donald, who is now a flight officer in the Army Air Corps, a daughter, Muriel, his sister,
Emma, and his brothers, Herbert, Frank, Edwin, Dan, Albert, Carl and Heinrich. Of these
Herbert and Carl are members of the Los Angeles Fire Department.
Funeral services for Captain Krumsiek were held at the Euclid Heights Methodist
Church, with Rev. Toothaker and Chaplain Cordell officiating, and in attendance was the
Honor Guard of the fire Fighters' Post, American Legion, as well as a host of sorrowing
comrades and friends.
Two men's lives were lost when a firey inferno swept this room.
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