Fireman Tony Arisco, Los Angeles Fire Department

Fireman Tony Arisco
Engine Company No. 54
A Platoon
Appointed July 12, 1922
Died May 5, 1941
Fall at factory fire on April 19.
Baby Line Furniture Company
62nd Street and St. Andrews Place

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Flames Destroy
Furniture Plant

Investigators Hunt for
Cause of Fire Resulting
in $50,000 Loss

    Fire Department investigators yesterday were seeking the cause of a fire which early in the morning destroyed the Baby Line Furniture Corp. factory at 6235 S. St. Andrews Place.
    Loss caused by the flames which burned the one and one-half story structure to the ground was estimated at $50,000.
    Spreading through lacquer and paint supplies stored in the building, the fire resulted in a three-alarm call bringing 12 companies to the scene to fight the blaze.
    One fireman, Tony Arisco, 40, of 6633 Madden Ave., received first and second degree burns on the face when he stumbled and fell while fighting the fire. Arisco is a member of Engine Company No. 54.
    Residents of the neighborhood and passing motorists who flocked to the fire handicapped working firemen, making it necessary for large numbers of police to be dispatched to the scene to protect the numerous hose lines.
    Because of the inflammable nature of the contents of the building, the Fire Department was unable to stop the fire but concentrated its efforts mainly upon protecting adjoining buildings.

By Bill Goss

THE watchman of the Baby Line Furniture Co. was making his rounds shortly after midnight on April 19, 1941 and all seemed to be well as he checked through the two long sections of the one story plant. The building stretched from St. Andrews Place on the east clear through to Gramercy Place on the west and was divided approximately in half by a railroad spur track that paralleled the two streets. The company was engaged in the manufacture of various kinds of baby furniture,. the woodworking part of which was done in the east half and the painting, finishing and shipping being done in the west half. About one o'clock the watchman noticed the unmistakable odor of smoke in the air and upon investigation found that a fire had apparently started in one of the spray booths of the west half and already spread to the overhanging balcony where paints and other materials were stored.

As the watchman started back to the office on the St. Andrews side to call the fire department, passers-by pulled boxes 4387 at Sixty-second and St. Andrews and 4388 at Gage and Gramercy. At 1:03 a.m. the signal office dispatched engines 31, 46, 54 and 66, truck 66 and salvage 22 along with Chief Williams of Battalion 8. As the assignment rolled into the location the orange glow of the loom-up began to spread across the sky, giving an omen of which was to come.

Engine 54 rolling east from their quarters at Fifty-seventh and Crenshaw, took the plug at Sixty-second and Gramercy and laid their line into the loading dock entrance on the southwest corner of the building. Fireman Tony Arisco on the nozzle, backed up by Sam Pate and Captain Anton Simonek worked the line into the building until they had nearly reached the center of the structure. By now more and more of the paints in storage took fire and the flames spread throughout the building with terrific speed. It soon became apparent that flimsy frame construction couldn't stand such punishment long and that collapse of the structure was imminent. It was at this point that Chief Williams ordered Captain Simonek and his men of Engine 54 to remove their line from the building. Acting Captain Al Spaeter of Engine 31, working nearby, came over to give the three men a hand with the heavy loaded line. As they started to back out, the hose formed a loop and in this bight Tony Arisco was trapped and knocked to the floor, losing his helmet. The heat from the fire overhead and on all sides was becoming so great that the job of removing the line became doubly tough. Arisco scrambled to his feet and although unable to find his helmet continued to assist in getting the line out. At this point the crew had reached the loading dock where there was a three and a half foot drop to the sloping drive that led to the street. Once again Arisco got caught on one of the unruly loops of the hose but this time as he fell he lit on his head at the bottom of the driveway.

Once out of the burning building Captain Simonek noticed that Arisco had been pretty badly burned about the head from the heat of the fire after he had lost his helmet in the first fall. Chief Williams had his operator, L. F. Kuester, take Tony to the Receiving Hospital. By this time the entire west half of the Baby Line Co. was afire and a third alarm assignment was dispatched at 1:37 a.m., bringing engines 7, 33, 34, truck 22, salvage 28, Acting Assistant Chief Bennett of Division One, and Deputy Chief Rothermel. Thus fortified by additional manpower and despite the odds created by all the paint and materials involved, the fire was stopped cold at the railroad track dividing the two parts of the concern, preventing any damage to the east half.

At the Georgia Street Receiving Hospital Dr. Durkin found that Tony Arisco had suffered first and second degree burns on his face and head and also had a possible concussion: placed him in bed for further treatment. Feeling better in a couple of days, the jovial fun loving cook of 54s was released to go home to finish convalescing.

On the evening of May 5, just before retiring Tony complained of his head hurting him, although by this time his burns had nearly completely healed. About 8:30 a.m. on the morning of the sixth, Mrs. Arisco went into the bedroom to awaken her husband but was unable to arouse him. Becoming a little frightened she called the fire department. Rescue 66 and the ambulance from the Seventy-seventh street police station were sent out at once but on arrival at the Arisco home it was found that Tony had been dead seven to eight hours. Subsequent investigation by the coroner showed that he had passed away from concussion and a traumatic cerebral hemorrhage.

Born in Los Angeles June 16, 1892, of Italian immigrant parents, Tony Arisco was survived by his wife, Mrs. Mary E., a daughter, Mary Ann, and a son, Anthony. He was appointed to the Los Angeles Fire Department on July 6, 1922. Requiem Mass was held on the morning of May 9, 1941, with Father O'Conner of St. Anselm's parish officiating. Pallbearers were his former comrades of engine 54 and other companies of Battalion 8. Interment was at Calvary Cemetery, with Fire Fighters Post 102 of the American Legion assisting.

The Baby Line Company
62nd and St. Andrews Place