At 10.35pm on Monday October 5th 1936 a call to 164 Pearse was received by Brigade headquarters on Tara Street (at the corner of Pearse street ). The new turntable ladder, the Chief officers car and a pump commanded by Lieutenant Howard arrived to find flames leaping out through the front windows of the premises. The ground floor was occupied by the high tension battery assembling department of Exide Batteries Ltd. A family with five children sleeping on the first floor awoke to the sounds of an explosion and just managed to escape in time.
Shortly after the arrival of the brigade a second large explosion rocked building which witnesses said could be felt over a quarter of a mile away. Station officer Martin Dowling from Thomas street Station arrived with a crew and a pump escape.
A lack of water pressure severely hampered the fire fighting efforts and at times the firemen could only look on helplessly while the fire blazed furiously. The fire eventually broke through into a private hotel next door and began to burn towards the railway bridge at the back.
By midnight the hotel was completely ablaze. Less than an hour later with water supplies secured the blaze was brought under control. It was at this point that its was noticed that three firemen were missing.
A frantic search ensued with firemen, police and civilians working side by side to remove the rubble. At 4am the tragic story was realized when the bodies of the three firemen were found where they had fought to bring hose inside the building just before the second explosion which claimed their lives.
Their remains lay in state for the next few days while the city mourned it's loss.Thousands lined the route to Glasnevin cemetery and flags flew at half mast throughout the city.
The coffins were borne on fire engines followed by a huge dray with floral tributes.Source: http://www.irishfireservices.com/pages/historicalfires.html
supplied by Martin Dowling
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