Fire Photos

First Five Alarm

CFDHISTORY ---›Fire Photos ---› First Five Alarm

Date 1944-04-06

April 6, 1944
This 5 alarm fire at 44 to 50 Vine Street was the first five alarm fire rung by the Cincinnati Fire Alarm Telegraph Office.
The old system used three alarms followed by a general alarm called a " Ten Blows ",
which was literally a box number followed by ten rings of the bells.

Photograph - Chester Basham collection

The rear of Squad 52's 1942 Seagrave is on the right while the Mack aerial on the left is most likely Truck 7.

Box 1125 - 06:45 a.m.
3rd - 06:49 a.m.
4th - 07:08 a.m.
5th - 07:11 a.m.
Photograph - Steve Hagy collection