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Black RibbonPATRICK DUFFYBlack RibbonPatrick Duffy, Battalion Chief - January 2, 1947 (#103)
District 6 - 3160 16th Street

FIRE TRUCK CRASH
FIRE TRUCK CRASH KILLS CHIEF DUFFY

A San Francisco bational chief was fatally hurt and his criver suffere critical injuries last night whhena heavy fire truck crashed into the dhuief’s auto as both vehicies raced to a fire

DRIVER HURT

Chief Patrick Duffy, 55, of 698 Urbano drive, a member of the department since 1924, died in San Freancisco Hosipital five hours after the collision.
George Sullivan, 53, of 156 Ney street, Dufffy’s driver, suffered a possible skull fracture and facial cuts.
The collision occurred at Nineteenth and Capp streets as both vehicles were bound for a small roof fire at 437 Capp street.
The truck, from 13 Engine Company, driven by Thomas Culhane, 35, of 3840 Harrison street struck the chief’s small auto and hurled it more than forty feet into the front of a grocery.

TRUCK SKIDS

The truck skidded more than seventy feet further.
Chief Duffy was thrown partway through the windshield of his auto suffering a laceration of the brain and fractured skull.
Culhane and the other men on the truck were not injured.

OLD TIMERS

Both Chief Duffy and Sullivan joined the department in 1924. Duffy was made chief of battalion No. 6 in December 1943.
Source: San Francisco Examiner – January 3, 1947

Extracted from original sources with grammar and spelling as published.

Photo and poem written by the SF Fire Chief at the time, N. Kenny, of my Grandfather's death and given to my mother, his daughter.
(Mary J. Duggan née Duffy).

Patrick Duffy Photo and Poem

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