Fire+Companies+on+the+scene

The two fire companies from Boyertown that came to assist with the fire are Friendship Hook & Ladder and Keystone Fire Company. Later in the evening Goodwill Steam Fire Company came from Pottstown to help.

__**Keystone Fire Company**__- Within fifteen minutes of the fire being reported this company had gathered its men. Since this fire company was only a few blocks away, firefighters did not bother to hook up their horses to the hose cart. They decided to push the cart down the hill. The firefighters lost control of the cart traveling downhill and it killed one of the firefighters by pinning him to a tree. The hose cart was too damaged to use and the fire fighters had no other equipment to use against the fire. In spite of their efforts, they had nothing to use against the fire. Firefighters worked to try and open the doors. They pulled people that were still alive out over the bodies.

[|Friendship Hook & Ladder Comapny]- This company arrived after the hose cart incident with Keystone Fire Company. By the time they reached the fire, they could not control it. The fire had spread to the adjacent homes on the street. There is no record of what time they arrived on the scene.



[|Goodwill Steam Fire Company]- Two hours after the fire had started firefighters called Goodwill Fire Company from a neighboring town to come. They brought a hose cart, steamer, and 50 firemen. While unloading the steamer it was damaged. The hose equipment failed as well. About seven hours after the fire began; firefighters got control of the fire.

- Firefighters stayed all night and in the morning began pulling out the bodies. Many of the fire fighters went without sleep and food for over 24 hours. Three firemen were killed assisting with the fire.

This is what a fire steam engine looked like. This was the model used during the time period of the fire.

Here is a short video to show what the fire steam engines looked like with the horses attached. This is what it looked like when Goodwill and Friendship Hook & Ladder arrived at the scene. [|Fire Steam Engines]


 * Activity**: Allow students to evaluate the motion picture or the photograph of the fire steam engines. Students will get to choose which they will evaluate and they will use the NARA sheets for photographs or motion picture. After everyone is finished students must find a partner that did the opposite of themselves and share their findings.

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