Fireman Thomas O. Morse, Los Angeles Fire Department

At 10:47 p.m., January 17, 1961, Westlake dispatched Engines 45, 26 and 68 and Truck 26 a nd Battalion 3, Chief James Miller to a reported structure fire at 1101 South Crenshaw Boulevard. Captain Dewey F. Littlefield of Truck Company 26 reported smoke showing from the attic vents of a two-story commercial building and called for one additional truck company. Truck 26 laddered the building with its aerial and Fireman Thomas O. Morse was the first to climb onto the roof. The roof immediately gave way as Morse stepped onto it and he fell into the fully involved attic. Somehow he managed to pull himself back onto the roof. No one on the fire ground was aware of his plight until spectators began screaming that a fireman on the roof was afire. Morse's turnout coat and pants were burning and the flames behind him roared high over his head.
Fireman William A. Burnidge of Engine Company 68 was the first to see Morse. He immediately ran up the aerial and pulled Morse from the roof. He threw himself onto Morse and, with his bare hands, beat out the flames. He then slid the flailing Morse down the ladder. Morse and Burnidge were taken to Central Receiving Hospital. Morse was burned over 70 percent of his body with second and third degree burns. Burnidge had second degree burns on the palms and fingers of both hands. At the hospital Morse told Chief Miller: '' I sure want you to pass my thanks along to Burnidge. He was all over me. He laid on me. He patted the flames out with his hands and he kept the fire out of my face and prevented me from falling off the ladder."
Fireman Tom Morse died March 11. William Burnidge was awarded the Medal of Bravery by the City of Los Angeles.

Rescued by Buddy Jan. 17
L.A. Fireman Dies of Burns

City fireman Thomas Orin Morse, 41, died Saturday at Central Receiving Hospital.
He was rescued by a brother fireman Jan. 17 from a burning building.
Morse, LAFD Badge 480, was the eighth Los Angeles fireman killed in the line of duty since Jan. 1, 1960. Twelve others were disabled and more than 500 injured fighting fires in the city.
The veteran of 14 years with Truck Company 26 plunged through the roof of a blazing law building at 1101 Crenshaw Blvd.
His clothes ablaze, Morse climbed to a parapet and called for help.
It was thought Morse would survive because of quick action by fireman William A. Brunidge, 29, who scaled an aerial ladder to beat out the flames and rescue his comrade.
But Morse had been badly burned over most of his body.
Truck Company 26's Washington Boulevard headquarters will be vacant next Wednesday afternoon.
The on-duty shift will turnout for Morse's funeral in their work clothes and trucks and will be on radio call at the mortuary.
Morse leaves his widow, Lucille, of their home at 7017 Cedros Ave., Van Nuys, and three daughters, Karen, 16; Katherine, 12, and Karol, 10.

Brings Pal Out
Fireman In Heroic

Rescue Hail Fireman for
Rescue of Valley Buddy

A Valley fireman was hailed as a hero today after his rescue of a fellow firefighter who was critically burned battling a $25,000. blaze in a two-story office building in Los Angeles.
Both firemen were in Central Receiving Hospital.
Thomas Morse 40, of 7017 Cedros Ave., Van Nuys, suffered second and third-degree burns over 50% of his body.
He was helped from the roof of the burning building Tuesday night by fireman William Burnidge 29.
Burnidge, of 13693 Chase St., Pacoima, suffered second-degree burns on his hands when he attempted to beat out Morse's flaming clothing.
He helped the injured fireman down the aerial ladder next to the two-story office building at 1101 Crenshaw Blvd.
Hospital officials listed Burnidge's condition as "good."
Morse, of Truck Co. 26A, was on the roof of the building when the fire burned through, sending him tumbling into the flaming second floor.
He crawled back to the roof and worked his way back to the ladder with his clothing in flames.
Burnidage, of Engine Co. 68, was one of the first to spot Morse swaying atop the ladder. He raced up and began to beat out the flames.
Other firemen put out the remainder of the flames with a portable water hose after the two men had made a sliding-climbing descent.
Blaze Battled
"We didn't have any hose lines close. If we just had a hose line, we could have wetted him down," Brunidge said later at the hospital.
Nine companies of firemen, directed by Platoon Cmdr. Forrest E. Moore, battled the two-alarm blaze which was contained on the second floor and roof of the law office building.

Fireman Burned Badly in Fall Through Roof

L.A. Fireman Risks Life,
Saves Buddy

A veteran Los Angeles fireman, his clothing aflame, fought his was out of a blazing Crenshaw area building Tuesday night and was rescued by the heroic action of one of his buddies.
Tom Morse, 40, was taken to Central Receiving Hospital in critical condition with second and third - degree burns over 50% of his body after being helped down from the roof of the burning building by fireman William Burnidge, 29.
Morse, a member of the fire department for more than a dozen years, was on the roof of the two-story concreter building at 1101 S. Crenshaw Blvd. when the fire burned through and he tumbled into the flames, Platoon Commander Forest W. Moore reported.

        Shouts for Help

The fireman then climbed back on the roof, pulled himself over the parapet and grouped his way onto the aerial ladder he had used earlier to get on top of the building.
He swayed on the ladder and shouted for help as more than 200 spectators stared upward in shocked silence as he began to make his way down.
Burnidge, who was among the first to see him, scrambled up the ladder and began beating out the flames with his bare hands as he helped Morse down.

       Precarious Descent

"We didn't have any hose lines close," Burnidge said later at Central Receiving Hospital where he was treated for third-degree burns of the hands. "If we just had a hose line we could have wetted him down."
The two made their way down in a sliding-climbing descent, with Morse thrashing about from the intense pain of his burns, Burnidge said.
About seven feet from the bottom of the ladder Morse slipped and Brunidge grabbed his leg and held on, easing the other's fall.
Other firemen put out the remainder of the flames with a portable water hose and got Morse into an ambulance.
"It was one of the most heroic things I ever saw." said Richard Harrison, 33, a television technician of 821 S. Gramercy Pl.
The fire which was of undetermined origin, caused about $25,000 damage to the upper part of the building, used as law offices, Commander Moore said.

Fireman Near Death
After Being Rescued

Fireman Tom Morse was near death in Central Receiving Hospital today after a roof collapsed and plunged him into a flaming building.
Morse, 40, of 7017 Cedros Ave., Van Nuys, was saved from burning to death Tuesday night by fellow fireman William Brunidge.
Burnidge, 29, led Morse to safety down a swaying aerial ladder after Morse managed to climb back through the flames to the roof of the building at 1101 S. Crenshaw Blvd.
Morse is the father of three daughters, Karen, 15, Katherine, 12, and Karol, 11
    BURNIDGE, of 13593 Chase St. Pacoima, was treated at Central Receiving Hospital for third degree burns on his hands.
Nine fire companies under platoon commander Forrest Moore responded to the fire in a two-story office building at 10:50 p.m.
Morse, a veteran of more than a dozen years in the department, was the first man to scramble up the aerial ladder to the roof, which collapsed seconds later and plunged him into a cauldron of flame.
    BUT HE CLIMBED back up the incline of the caved-in roof, pulled himself over a parapet, and stumbled toward the aerial ladder.
Writhing in pain form his burns, Morse yelled for help and Burnidge spotted him through the smoke and guided him to the ladder.
"We didn't have any hose lines close," said Brunidge, "or we could have wet him down."
As the two men slid and climbed down the swaying ladder, Brunidge tried to beat out the flames on Morse's clothing with his bare hands.
    WHEN THEY reached the ground, other firemen doused the flames on Morse's clothing with a portable hose and rushed him to the hospital.

THE
LAST ALARM

THOMAS O. MORSE

    Members of the Los Angeles Fire Department mourn the loss of their fellow fire fighter Thomas O. Morse, who lost his life on March 11, 1961 as a result of injuries received while fighting a fire on January 17, 1961, at 1101 South Crenshaw Boulevard.
    Tom was a member of Truck Company 26, A Platoon, and had been a member of the Los Angeles City Fire Department for 14 years.
    Tom Morse will be long and fondly remembered by the men of his company and station as an especially fine fireman, and further, as a wonderful asset to any engine house scene with his friendliness, his instant cooperativeness and his good humor.
    Be it known that throughout Tom's nearly two-month period in the hospital the men of his company, Chief Officers like Forrest W. Moore and many other firemen did everything they could think of to assist Tom's wife and children in their difficult vigil, for they thought of Tom that way.
    Tom's wife, Lucille, and three girls, Karen, Katherine and Karol will continue to find a helping hand from Los Angeles firemen whenever and wherever they need it.

THE FIREMEN'S GRAPEVINE April 1961

Tom Morse Fighting Long
Battle for Full Recovery

The high human cost of firefighting is told in the story of Local 748 member Tom Morse, 40, of Truck 26, who has been in critical condition in Central Receiving Hospital, Los Angeles, following his rescue by another member, William (Sam) Burnidge, 29, of Engine 68A, a battalion representative.
Morse suffered second and third degree burns over more than 50 percent of his body, and will require many skin grafts before his recovery can be described as satisfactory. His doctors say he needs complete quiet, and for some time his only visitor will be his wife, Lucille.
Morse has his home at 7017 Cedros Ave., Van Nuys, where he lives with his wife and there children, Karon, 16; Katherine, 12, and Karol, 10.
Tom was combating an out break in a two-story concrete building at 1101 South Crenshaw Blvd. when the roof in which he was standing burned through and he fell into the flames.
He climbed to another section and pulled himself over the parapet to grope his way to the aerial ladder he had used earlier to reach the roof.
Morse was described as a human torch as he called for help from the top of the ladder. Burnidge went to his rescue, beating out the flames as he went, and assisted Morse down. Burnidge was himself burned about the hands and received treatment in hospital. His home is at 13693 Chase St., Pacoima.

THE FIREFIGHTER, February 1961

Tom was a member of Truck Company 26, A Platoon, and had been a member of the Los Angeles City Fire Department for 14 years.

Tom Morse will be long and fondly remembered by the men of his company and station as an especially fine fireman, and further, as a wonderful asset to any engine house scene with his friendliness, his instant cooperativeness and his good humor.

Be it known that throughout Tom's nearly two-month period in the hospital the men of his company, Chief Officers like Forrest W. Moore and many other firemen did everything they could think of to assist Tom's wife and children in their difficult vigil, for they thought of Tom that way.

Tom's wife, Lucille, and three girls, Karen, Katherine and Karol will continue to find a helping hand from Los Angeles firemen whenever and wherever they need it.