ANDREW K. BENTONAndrew K. Benton - September 1, 1964 (#122)
Captain - Truck Co. No. 7

APARTMENT HOUSE FIRE, BACK DRAFT - 491 VALENCIA STREET
Appointed, October 1, 1942

Assigned to Engine Co. No. 28, 1946
Assigned to Engine Co. No. 27, 1947
Assigned to Engine Co. No. 3, 1949

Appointed Lieutenant, April 1, 1954

Assigned to Engine Co. No. 20, 1955
Assigned to Engine Co. No. 3, 1960

Appointed Captain, July 1, 1960

Assigned to Truck Co. No. 13, 1961
Assigned to Truck Co. No. 3, 1963

FIRE CAPTAIN DIED AS HE LIVED—A HERO

Grime-faced San Francisco firemen, stunned by the death of one of their best-liked comrades, today ruled out arson as a possible cause of the fire that killed him.

Captain Andrew K. Benton, 44, of 823 32nd Ave., died as he had lived as a fireman—a hero.

Minutes before he was killed, he had carried an unconscious woman from a blazing upper floor of the Carmelita Apartments at 391 Valencia St.

One fellow fireman, asked to recount other rescues in which he before 8:30 p. m., possibly in Apartment 303 or 305, and the flames roared through the building's upper stories.

Benton, a 22-year veteran in the department, was leading eight of his men from Truck Company 7 up a stairway to the top floor and had attained the hallway above when a fatal blast occurred.

"THE WHOLE place seemed to blow up," said Lackey.

"The captain was right in front of me. He was blown out of my sight. I don't know how the rest of us got out."

Benton was wearing a gas mask and a tank, but these were ripped from, his body as he was thrown about 30 feet down the hall.

He had taken the full force of the blast—which resulted from a build-up of smoke and intense heat, and blew out windows on the top floor.

FIRE CHIEF William Murray retrieved Benton's charred helmet after he had been carried out and his men rescued. Holding it in his hand, he murmured:

"He and his men had been kicking in doors, saving people.

"And now, I've lost a captain. One of the very best.
Source: Unknown San Francisco newspaper, September 2, 1964

Extracted from original sources with grammar and spelling as published.