STEPHEN D. RUSSELL Stephen D. Russell - October 5, 1917 (#63)
1st Assistant Chief - Headquarters
Born in San Francisco January 1, 1881
Appointed the Department August 8, 1888

OWL LODGING HOUSE FIRE 548 - 3RD STREET

JOSEPH ALLENJoseph Allen - October 5, 1917 (#64)
Engine Co. No. 9

TIMOTHY F. COLLINS Timothy F. Collins - October 5, 1917 (#65)
Truck Co. No. 1 - 36 O'Farrell Street

OWL LODGING HOUSE FIRE 548 - 3RD STREET

"We were placing ladder against the side of the building in an effort to rescue the late Assistant Chief Steven Russell and other firemen inside the house, when the cry went up that the building was falling." "We ran. I thought I had picked out the right direction away from the falling house. But I went down under the pile. My buddy, Truckman Tim Collins, Chief Russell and Joe Allen of Engine 9 perished in the crash.
Source: As reported by BC Michael Flaherty, in an unknown San Francisco newspaper, May 29, 1931.

Chief Flaherty was at the Owl Lodging Fire. Chief Flaherty was in the hospital for a year following the fire recovering from his wounds.

THREE FIREMEN KILLED AND SEVEN OTHERS INJURED IN FIERCE LODGING HOUSE FIRE

SAN FRANCISCO,
1917 October 5

Three firemen, one assistant chief, were killed and seven others were seriously Injured late today in the downtown district, when they were trapped by the collapsed walls of a three story frame lodging house destroyed by fire. First Assistant Chief Stephen Russell and James Collins were dead, when they were dragged from under the debris. William Allen died on the way to a hospital. Thirty roomers were taken from the building by the police, soldiers and sailors before the collapse.
Source: San Bernardino Sun, Volume 47, Number 31, 6 October 1917 — Page 2

SAN FRANCISCO PAYS TRIBUTE TO DEAD FIRE FIGHTERS

SAN FRANCISCO.
1917 October 9

San Francisco paid tribute today to the memory of Stephen Russell, first assistant fire chief; Jos, Allen, hoseman, and Timothy Collins, truckman, who were killed in a fire here last week. The bodies lay in state for an hour in the rotunda of the city hall before funeral services at St. Mary’s cathedral.
Source: Riverside Daily Press, Volume XXXII, Number 241, 9 October 1917 — ’Frisco Pays Tribute to Dead Fire Fighters [ARTICLE]

MILITARY HONORS FOR DEAD FIREMEN

By International News Service
1917 October 9

San Francisco today paid military honors to three heroes who lost their lives at the Owl Lodging house fire last Friday evening. The bodies of Assistant Chief Stephen S. Russell and Firemen Joseph Allen and Timothy Collins were escorted from the city hall, where they had been lying in state, to the grave by a company of soldiers, platoons of police and firemen and prominent officials, headed by Mayor Rolph.
Source: Los Angeles Herald, Volume XLII, Number 293, 9 October 1917 — Military Honors for Dead Firemen [ARTICLE]

Extracted from original sources with grammar and spelling as published.

Back to the Top