Flames Destroy
Furniture Plant
Investigators Hunt for
Cause of Fire Resulting
in $50,000 Loss
Fire
Department investigators yesterday were seeking the cause
of a fire which early in the morning destroyed the Baby
Line Furniture Corp. factory at 6235 S. St. Andrews Place.
Loss caused by the flames which burned
the one and one-half story structure to the ground was
estimated at $50,000.
Spreading through lacquer and paint
supplies stored in the building, the fire resulted in a
three-alarm call bringing 12 companies to the scene to
fight the blaze.
One fireman, Tony Arisco, 40, of 6633
Madden Ave., received first and second degree burns on the
face when he stumbled and fell while fighting the
fire. Arisco is a member of Engine Company No. 54.
Residents of the neighborhood and
passing motorists who flocked to the fire handicapped
working firemen, making it necessary for large numbers of
police to be dispatched to the scene to protect the
numerous hose lines.
Because of the inflammable nature of
the contents of the building, the Fire Department was
unable to stop the fire but concentrated its efforts
mainly upon protecting adjoining buildings.
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Los Angeles
Times, April 20, 1941
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Source: Los Angeles Fire
Department Photo Album Collection
Engine Company No. 54
5730 Crenshaw Boulevard
September 11, 1938
Engineer H Woolway
Captain F. Pell
Fireman Tony Arisco
Fireman S Pate
Fireman W. King
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Source: Los Angeles Fire
Department Photo Album Collection
Engine Company No. 54
5730 Crenshaw Boulevard
September 11, 1938
Engineer H Woolway
Captain F. Pell
Fireman Tony Arisco
Fireman W. King
Fireman S Pate
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Note: Apparatus
in photo is a
1923 Seagrave Triple
Shop Number 174
|
By Bill Goss
THE watchman of the Baby Line Furniture Co. was making his rounds shortly
after midnight on April 19, 1941 and all seemed to be well as he checked through the two
long sections of the one story plant. The building stretched from St. Andrews Place
on the east clear through to Gramercy Place on the west and was divided approximately in
half by a railroad spur track that paralleled the two streets. The company was
engaged in the manufacture of various kinds of baby furniture,. the woodworking part
of which was done in the east half and the painting, finishing and shipping being done in
the west half. About one o'clock the watchman noticed the unmistakable odor of smoke
in the air and upon investigation found that a fire had apparently started in one of the
spray booths of the west half and already spread to the overhanging balcony where paints
and other materials were stored.
As the watchman started back to the office on the St. Andrews
side to call the fire department, passers-by pulled boxes 4387 at Sixty-second and
St. Andrews and 4388 at Gage and Gramercy. At 1:03 a.m. the signal office dispatched
engines 31, 46, 54 and 66, truck 66 and salvage 22 along with Chief Williams of Battalion
8. As the assignment rolled into the location the orange glow of the loom-up began
to spread across the sky, giving an omen of which was to come.
Engine 54 rolling east from their quarters at Fifty-seventh and
Crenshaw, took the plug at Sixty-second and Gramercy and laid their line into the loading
dock entrance on the southwest corner of the building. Fireman Tony Arisco on the
nozzle, backed up by Sam Pate and Captain Anton Simonek worked the line into the building
until they had nearly reached the center of the structure. By now more and more of
the paints in storage took fire and the flames spread throughout the building with
terrific speed. It soon became apparent that flimsy frame construction couldn't
stand such punishment long and that collapse of the structure was imminent. It was
at this point that Chief Williams ordered Captain Simonek and his men of Engine 54 to
remove their line from the building. Acting Captain Al Spaeter of Engine 31, working
nearby, came over to give the three men a hand with the heavy loaded line. As they
started to back out, the hose formed a loop and in this bight Tony Arisco was trapped and
knocked to the floor, losing his helmet. The heat from the fire overhead and on all
sides was becoming so great that the job of removing the line became doubly tough.
Arisco scrambled to his feet and although unable to find his helmet continued to assist in
getting the line out. At this point the crew had reached the loading dock where
there was a three and a half foot drop to the sloping drive that led to the
street. Once again Arisco got caught on one of the unruly loops of the hose but this
time as he fell he lit on his head at the bottom of the driveway.
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Once out of the burning building Captain Simonek noticed that
Arisco had been pretty badly burned about the head from the heat of the fire after he had
lost his helmet in the first fall. Chief Williams had his operator, L. F. Kuester,
take Tony to the Receiving Hospital. By this time the entire west half of the Baby
Line Co. was afire and a third alarm assignment was dispatched at 1:37 a.m., bringing
engines 7, 33, 34, truck 22, salvage 28, Acting Assistant Chief Bennett of Division One,
and Deputy Chief Rothermel. Thus fortified by additional manpower and despite the
odds created by all the paint and materials involved, the fire was stopped cold at the
railroad track dividing the two parts of the concern, preventing any damage to the east
half.
At the Georgia Street Receiving Hospital Dr. Durkin found that
Tony Arisco had suffered first and second degree burns on his face and head and also had a
possible concussion: placed him in bed for further treatment. Feeling better in a
couple of days, the jovial fun loving cook of 54s was released to go home to finish
convalescing.
On the evening of May 5, just before retiring Tony complained of
his head hurting him, although by this time his burns had nearly completely healed.
About 8:30 a.m. on the morning of the sixth, Mrs. Arisco went into the bedroom to awaken
her husband but was unable to arouse him. Becoming a little frightened she called
the fire department. Rescue 66 and the ambulance from the Seventy-seventh street
police station were sent out at once but on arrival at the Arisco home it was found that
Tony had been dead seven to eight hours. Subsequent investigation by the coroner
showed that he had passed away from concussion and a traumatic cerebral hemorrhage.
Born in Los Angeles June 16, 1892, of Italian immigrant parents,
Tony Arisco was survived by his wife, Mrs. Mary E., a daughter, Mary Ann, and a son,
Anthony. He was appointed to the Los Angeles Fire Department on July 6, 1922.
Requiem Mass was held on the morning of May 9, 1941, with Father O'Conner of St. Anselm's
parish officiating. Pallbearers were his former comrades of engine 54 and other
companies of Battalion 8. Interment was at Calvary Cemetery, with Fire Fighters Post
102 of the American Legion assisting.
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The Baby
Line Company
62nd and St. Andrews Place |
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