The pulpit had a gaslight on it, and the gas pipe went through the pulpit, so it could not be carried out. The wind that day was averaging between 19 and 22 miles per hour, with gusts up to 30. The temperature was 13 degrees above zero. These readings were all taken at the Weather Bureau in New Haven at the post office. Out here in Hamden the temperature is about 5 degrees lower than in New Haven and the wind velocity is higher.
Fortunately, there were no injuries to firemen, but some were overcome with smoke. Some of them had on ordinary overcoats which soon got wet and then froze. They were so stiff they had to be pulled off while the firemen struggled to get out. It was nearly dark when the firemen began to pick up their equipment and leave.
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After the fire, the Humphrey Volunteer Fire Association offered the use of its meeting room for church services, as did the Whitneyville Congregational Church.
According to the 1920 dedication program of the new church, "When it was discovered, in the early afternoon, the fire had gained fearful headway; and, upon arrival, the Humphrey, Whitneyville, and Highwood volunteer fire companies, reinforced by an engine from the New Haven Fire Department, a fight with this relentless foe and modern fire apparatus began in earnest, until nearly dark."
Whitneyville would have responded with motorized apparatus. The engine company from New Haven was most likely Engine 6 out of Dixwell Avenue. New Haven still had some horse drawn apparatus in 1918, but Engine 6 was motorized.
The Hamden Plains Methodist Church fire was probably the driving force behind the purchases of two 1918 Stewart chemical trucks for the Highwood and Mt. Carmel fire companies, and a 1919 Seagrave 750 GPM pumper, affectionately dubbed "Big Bertha," for Humphrey.
Posted 1/13/11
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