William Bierman
Killed in the Line of Duty
December 20, 1892
| Fire Company |
Engine 4
|
|
| Cause of Death |
Skull Fracture
|
|
| At Fire Box Number |
87
|
|
| Incident Type |
Fire
|
|
| Incident Location |
15th District School
|
|
Bierman fell from the 15th District School-House roof while fighting an
attic fire in the school at Main and Buckeye. Firefighters had arrived to
find fire in the attic and were not able to access the roof via ladders due
to the location of the building. Positions were gained on the roof by
climbing a rope through a skylight. Once on the roof firefighters found icy
conditions and were forced to crawl to another part of the building so as to
have a position to toss water into attic windows. When Bierman reached the
roof his fellow firefighters had already moved to this other roof area.
Bierman listened to firefighters who called to him to crawl due to the ice.
He began to make his way to their position but the fire had died down and he
was moving in darkness. He was not aware that there was a separation in the
roof between he and his co-workers. One of the other firemen called out to
warn him but it was too late. Bierman fell 4 stories to his death. Only an
hour earlier he had waved to his wife and 5 children in their third story
window as his company passed the residence en route to the fire.