|
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.
|
|
|
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
|
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
|
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.
|
|
