William Gerne
Killed in the Line of Duty
December 3, 1913
| Fire Company |
Engine 4
|
|
| Cause of Death |
Fall from truck
|
|
| At Fire Box Number |
|
|
| Incident Type |
Responding to fire
|
|
| Incident Location |
In front of quarters
|
|
Gerne fell while trying to jump onto the ladder truck after he missed the engine departure from
quarters. He slipped and fell beneath the wheel of the truck. Died from injuries within hours. The
death opened an investigation because Gerne and another firefighter were in Messer's Cafe at the
time of the alarm and were late to the apparatus because a dog that normally alerted the firemen in
the cafe of the dropping of the joker had died the day before. Gerne was 30 and lived at 313
Webster Street.