40 | The 1990s - Houston Fire Memorial

40 | The 1990s
The 1990s
by Jonathan Carter
It’s not uncommon at morning relief time to
hear one Houston firefighter tell another one
“We didn’t do anything.” What that means is
other than cleaning fire trucks, cleaning the
station, checking fire hydrants, pre-planning
buildings, studying guidelines, learning
territory, updating log books, and responding
to a myriad of calls for service, nothing
meaningful is worth mentioning. In layman
terms, nothing BIG happened.
The myth is that was the report given
by former Fire Chief Eddie Corral when he
was replaced by Chief Lester Tyra in 1998.
Corral served as Chief for most of the 1990’s
(1992 – 1998) after he replaced Chief Robert
Clayton (1985 – 1992). Although the story gets
a chuckle out of many Houston firefighters,
nothing could be further from the truth. The
decade saw the department evolve from a brave
band of smoke-eaters into a modern force
that soon became known as one of the most
experienced and well trained and equipped fire
departments in the world.
Fire Chiefs:
Robert Clayton 1985 - 1992
Edward Corral 1992 - 1998
Lester Tyra 1998 - 2000
The decade was an era of expansion for the
city, and as the city limits expanded, so too did
HFD. Stations 77 (1990), 82 (1995), 93 (1999),
94 (1996), 96 (1994), 101 (1995), 102 (1995),
103 (1995), and 104 (1995) were added to
the department. The 100-series stations were
opened in the recently annexed Kingwood area
northeast of town. The stations were already in
place as a result of the now-defunct Kingwood
Volunteer Fire Department, and as a result of
the unpopular annexation of the area with the
termination of the popular volunteers, Houston
firefighters received a less than hospitable
welcome to the “Livable Forest.” Public
sentiment has since changed, but the early years
in Kingwood were not fun.
From a fire buff’s standpoint, the highlight
of the decade, if you want to call it that, took
place in July of 1995. Market Street, enough
said. Utter those words around some of the
department’s more experienced members
and you’ll likely hear the tale of a massive
blaze that required seven alarms to quell and
Line of Duty Deaths:
Ruben Lopez
Steven Clyde Mayfield
Left: Tank truck fire, January 31, 1990, I-10 West at Silber Street. See page 44 for more details.
(Photo by Jo L. Keener)
The 1990s | 41
destroyed an entire warehouse complex on the city’s east side. The fire
consumed the Houston Distribution complex at 8550 Market Street. The
complex was a storage facility that stored everything from flammable
liquids to plastic pellets. Miraculously, no civilians or firefighters were
injured at the fire, but a ladder truck from Station 19 and an enormous
amount of hose and gear were destroyed when firefighters were forced
to beat a hasty retreat as flames raced through the facility. Even though
a fire watch would remain on site for the next few weeks after the fire,
another four alarm fire would occur on the site the following month.
OTHER NOTABLE INCIDENTS FROM THE DECADE
1991 – The department goes to four-shifts, setting a Houston Firefighter’s
work-week to it’s current 46.7 average hours per week.
1995 – Market Street fires.
1996 – Volunteer District Chief Ruben Lopez, working out of Station 25,
dies in a late night house fire on the city’s southeast side.
1997 – A wall collapse at Northline Mall on the city’s north side killing
three civilians.
1998 – Station 92 Firefighter Steven Clyde Mayfield dies after suffering a
heart attack while training in Dallas.
1998 – The department begins to take delivery of new apparatus from
E-One. The units will replace roughly 60% of the frontline equipment.
A total of 55 engines, six ladder trucks, three ladder towers, and a foam
pumper for the Haz-Mat Team highlight the purchase.
1999 – The department takes delivery of Thermal Imager Cameras that
allow firefighters to see through the smoke encountered at fires.
Top: Three alarm fire Franklin Street at St. Emanuel Street, 1991. Houston Volunteer
(HVFD) District Chief Ruben Lopez. Chief Lopez became a volunteer in 1987. Ruben
suffered a heart attack while fighting a fire at a house on 4006 Roseneath, December 4,
1996. Chief Lopez was the first Houston Fire Department Volunteer to die in the line of
duty. (Photo by Jo L. Keener)
Bottom: Four alarm fire at the Comet Rice Mill on 4800 Clinton Drive at Japhat Street.
Captain Buddy Russell on Engine 42. (Photo by Jo L. Keener, 1991)
42 | The 1990s
Since 1895, when the Houston Fire department became
a paid department, Fire House 28 has been in three
locations. The first location, from 1941 to 1953, was 702
Berry Street at Louisiana Street (not shown). In 1953
Fire House 28 was relocated to the new quarters at 5116
Westheimer at Sage Road. In 1987 the new Fire House
was built at 3000 Chimney Rock Road at Dolores Street.
Top Left: The crew of Fire House 28 “A” Shift, 1987,
from left to right, Bob Roberts Firefighter, Captain
Johnnie Leggio, Sr. Captain Richard Murray, Mark
Newman Firefighter, David Bond Firefighter, Malcom
Armstrong Firefighter, Kenneth Scrutchin Firefighter,
Kevin Brolan Chauffeur, Scott Isbell Firefighter, Mark
Cook Firefighter. (Photo provided by Johnnie Leggio)
Top Right: After the new Fire House 28 was built, the
old building was used for a few years by Fire Prevention.
After that it was put up for sale by the City of Houston.
In December of 1994, Ali Taghi bought the building
for an Italian men’s clothing store called A. Taghi. The
store opened in September of 1995 and is still open for
business today. (Photo by Glen Mears)
Bottom: Fire House 28, 3000 Chimney Rock Road at
Dolores Street, 2005. (Photo by Ken Paradowski)
The 1990s | 43
Tank Truck explosion and fire on the I-10 West Katy
Freeway at Silber Street, just a few blocks from Fire
House 38. This was a two alarm fire and District 5 “D”
Shift was the Incident Commander.
(All photos by Jo L. Keener, January 31, 1990)
Top Left: Firefighters on a hose line. From left to right,
unable to identify, Steve Cassisa Houston Volunteer
Fire Department (HVFD), Mark Weidenstrum Houston
Volunteer Fire Department (HVFD).
Top Right: Haz-Mat Chief Max McRae. In 1979, a HazMat team was formed for the Houston Fire Department.
The team was a combination Rescue and Hazardous
Material Response Unit quartered at Fire House 1. On
April 11, 1982 the team became a full time Haz-Mat
Unit. Chief McRae transferred from District 28 “C” Shift
where he had been many years to become the full-time
Haz-mat Coordinator. He formed the Haz-Mat into one of
the top units in the country. On August 24, 1994 District
Chief Max McRae turned over the unit to District Chief
Danny Snell and retired after 40 years of service.
Bottom: View of the tank truck fire.
44 | The 1990s
Top Left: Three alarm apartment fire, Hollister Road at
Solway Street. District 5 “A” Shift.
(Photo by Jo L. Keener, 1991)
Top Right: Three alarm building fire, Old Spanish Trail
at Dupont Street, July 14, 1991. Alfred Taylor Firefighter
Fire House 46 “B” Shift. (Photo by Jo L. Keener)
Bottom: High rise rescue, window washers, March 26,
1990. Loop 610 West at Post Oak. From left to right
Keith Bobbitt Firefighter, Van Kohrt Firefighter, Buddy
Dyer Firefighter, Captain Clifford Reed, Captain Larry
Dolch, Thomas Ponce Chauffeur. (Photo by Jo L. Keener)
The 1990s | 45
Top Left: A high rise incident in downtown Houston.
From left to right, District Chief 31 Steve Jahnke, District
Chief 8 Duke Jahnke, District Chief 6 Arthur Buroussard.
Photo taken 1991. (Photo provided by Rene` Jahnke)
Top Right: Helicopter crashed into a roof of an
apartment building Lockwood Drive at Market Street.
Southwestern Bell was using a helicopter to do a survey.
The helicopter lost power and had to make an emergency
landing and did not make it to the ground. There were no
fatalities. Left to right, District Chief 19 Troy Lundsford,
District Chief 41 Paul Stewart, Deputy Chief Ewell
Lawson, Firefighter in background not identified.
(Photo by Jo L. Keener, May 7, 1991)
Bottom: Arson Chief Roy Paul and District Chief
“Buddy” Weaver, at an unknown incident sometime in
the early 1990’s. (Photo provided by David Sadowski)
Opposite Page: Three alarm fire, Slumberland Bedding
Company, Old Spanish Trail at Dupont Street. (Photo by
Jo L. Keener, July 14, 1991)
46 | The 1990s
The 1990s | 47
Top Left: Fire House 15 “D” Shift 402 Tabor Street at
Melwood Street. Built in 1943. From left to right, Captain
Jim Wheeler, Donnie Havemann Chauffeur. (Photo by
Joe Hector Delgadillo, 1992)
Top Right: Sr. Captain Mike Owin and Captain Jim
Wheeler at Fire House 15 “D” Shift. (Photo by Joe
Hector Delgadillo, February 1992)
Bottom: The crew of Engine 15 “D” Shift, left to right,
Rick Nowak Firefighter, Donnie Havemann Chauffeur,
Maria Delgadillo, Joe Hector Delgadillo Firefighter,
Captain JimWheeler. (Photo provided by Joe Hector
Delgadillo, April 1992)
48 | The 1990s
Top Left: October 15, 1990, opening day for Fire House
77, 10155 Kempwood Drive at Gessner Drive. From left
to right, Captain William Payne, Joe Estes Chauffeur,
Dennis Maday Firefighter, Craig Kannady Firefighter.
(Photo by Jo L. Keener)
Top Right: Captain Jimmy Hunter, three alarm building
fire, Old Spanish Trail at Dupont Street. (Photo by Jo L.
Keener, July 14, 1991)
Bottom: Photo opportunity with the President. Engine 1
“A” Shift was standing by as part of the security detail.
Marine 1 landed and President Clinton walked up to them
to visit. From left to right, Tammy Simon Firefighter,
Bill Clinton 42nd President of the United States. Captain
Ricky Hoppas, Charles Kimble Firefighter and in the cab
Alvin White Chauffeur. The photo was taken by President
Clinton’s personal photographer and sent to the engine
crew. (Provided by Charles Kimble)
The 1990s | 49
Top: Houston Fire Academy Class 93A. The cadets began training
on January 3, 1993. This class was a fast track class which means
that they were in the military or previously a firefighter for another
department. This photo was taken in February 1993 shortly before
they left the academy to begin their new career. Bottom row left to
right, class instructors, Sr. Captain Rick Baker, Captain Rick Pattison.
Middle row left to right, Sammy Musachia, Michael Cornitius,
John Waxman, Ernest Alf, James Walterbach, Charles Rizzo, Mark
Braswell, John Nemec, Justin Barnes, Jay Daniels, Derik Ward, Billy
Hopkins, Ronald Merrill, Steve Smith, Raul Villasana, Jamie Devall.
Top row left to right, Scott Allen, Joe Boeing, Carey Starrett, Rob
Kamman, Don Stamps, Latoya Sam, Larry Dicamillo, Bruce Cornett,
Tommy Reyes, David Swanson, Brian Chovanec, Robert Ross,
Russell Fritsch, Charles Kimble, Tim Ware, Patrick Forrestal. (Photo
by the Houston Fire Department)
Bottom: On March 30, 1994 a beloved member of Fire House 49,
Captain Ron Lyons, passed away. This is a group of firefighters that
worked with Ron. They all met at Fire House 64 prior to attending the
funeral. They are in front of the newly remodeled HFD Honor Guard
Funeral Pumper, this is the first time it had been used. From left to
right, Captain Van Kohrt, Captain Don Gray, Paul Panto Firefighter,
Bob Blumrick Firefighter, David Champagne Firefighter, Captain
Gary Vincent, Captain Al Zubik, Terry Vick Firefighter, Sr. Captain
William Payne, Hector Santos Firefighter.
(Photo provided by William Payne)
50 | The 1990s
Top Left: Arson South Sector Investigators from left to
right, John Valenti, Victor Pena, Joe Rodriguez, Robert
Kent, Bob White. Photo taken in 1995. (Photo provided
by Victor Pena)
Top Right: The crew from Fire House 17 “A” Shift
2805 Navigation Boulevard at North Delano Street. Built
in 1983. Bottom row from left to right, Bert Freeman
Chauffeur, Larry Covington Firefighter. Top row from left
to right, Jerry Meek Chauffeur, Captain Johnnie Reneau,
Wayne Hollis Firefighter. (Photo by Marilynn Green,
1994)
Bottom: The crew from Fire House 76 “A” Shift 7100
Cook Road at Sharpview Drive. Built in 1985. Bottom
row from left to right, Hartsell Johnson Firefighter,
Chester Gibson Firefighter, Lewis Mayo Firefighter. Top
row from left to right, Russell Dunnem Firefighter, David
Amalfi Chauffeur, Captain E. J. Bender, Sr. Captain
Jimmie Gill, Jerry Meyers Chauffeur. (Photo by Marilynn
Green, 1994)
The 1990s | 51
Seven alarm warehouse fire at the Houston Distribution Center, 8550 Market Street at Gellhorn Drive, June 24, 1995. The firefighters were able to save the western half of the very
large building. Ironically that half of the building went up in flames on July 9, 1995. This time it was a four alarm fire. (Photo by the Houston Fire Department)
52 | The 1990s
Four alarm fire in the Star Wholesale building, 7000
Harwin Drive at Savoy. The building is used by Dollar
General as a warehouse. The fire occurred sometime
in 1998 on the “B” Shift. (All photos provided by the
Houston Fire Department)
Top Left: The District 28 command post. In the
foreground of the photo are from left to right is Chief Hal
Vaughan, Captain Don Martin, District 28 Chief Gary
Taylor, Marshall Hefley Chauffeur, Craig McDowell
Director of the Office of Emergency Management. Far
left is Daniel Matt, all others are not identified.
Top Right: Deputy Chief K. B. Whitehorn on the left and
Marshall Hefley Chauffeur on the right.
Bottom: Side view showing Ladder 51’s ladder pipe
operation.
The 1990s | 53
On the early morning of February 21, 1997, Engine
1 “A” Shift responded to a report of a church fire at
1402 Saulnier Street at Wilson Street in Houston’s
Fourth Ward. The former Good Hope Missionary
Baptist Church built in 1929 was being remodeled as a
community center dedicated to the late Senator Barbara
Jordan, a life long member of the church.
As Engine 1 turned on Saulnier Street, the roof of the
old church had been burning for quite some time. The
fire weakened the wall of the church, which in turn fell
on Engine 1 as it passed the front of the church. Captain
Stan Shockley was in the process of reaching for the
radio’s microphone, to give a report to the other arriving
fire companies. He was leaning forward, this is what
saved his life. The stone blocks from the wall hit the
engine with such force that it blew out the front tires and
put a V shaped dent in the roof of the Captain’s side of
the truck. He suffered a deep cut to his head and received
25 stitches. The other members of the crew escaped
injury. They were, Alvin White Chauffeur, Tammy Simon
Firefighter, Lisa Simmons (Slagle) Firefighter. The next
day the write up in the newspaper mentioned the word
miracle. (All photos provided by Stan Shockley)
54 | The 1990s
Top Left: Houston Fire Training Academy, Class 97B,
Cadet Brian Battenfield, Kevin Scarber Firefighter.
(Photo provided by Brian Battenfield)
Top Right: Houston Fire Training Academy, Class 97B
cadets from left to right, Jon Carter, Brian Scott, Brian
Battenfield, Jose Garza. This cadet class started their
training on January 12, 1998 and graduated on August 13,
1998. (Photo provided by Brian Battenfield)
Bottom: Engine 28 was dedicated to Claude Jahnke, who
worked at Fire House 28 from 1981 to 1984. From left
to right Roland Chavez Chauffeur, Captain Jay Jahnke,
Claude’s youngest son. This photo was taken on August
17, 1997. (Photo provided by the Jahnke family)
The 1990s | 55
Top: New arrivals of 1999 E-ONE ladder trucks and
engines, posed with the crews at Fire House 1, with the
City of Houston downtown skyline as the background.
(Photo by Matt Milam)
Bottom: Engine 38 “D” Shift at a house fire. From left
to right, Charles Kimble Firefighter, Captain Clifton
Wooten, Gary Franklin Firefighter, Bruce Strong
Chauffeur. Photo taken in 1995.
(Photo provided by Charles Kimble)
56 | The 1990s
Top Left: Promotion ceremony for Fire Chief Lester
Tyra. Left to right, Houston’s Mayor Lee Brown, Emily
Tyra, wife, Lester Tyra, dad, Fire Chief Lester Tyra. The
ceremony took place May 1998. Chief Tyra was Fire
Chief from 1998 to 2000. (Photo by Matt Milam)
Top Right: The District Chief rank and above have
traditionally have worn a white uniform shirt. Lester
Tyra, in his first year in office decided that he, and his
command staff, would wear a blue uniform shirt. This is
the color that is worn by all firefighters under the rank
District Chief. Chief Tyra did this to help the rank and
file identify with him. Lester was also the President of
the Houston Professional Firefighters Association, Local
341 from July 1974 to July 1991. (Photo by Matt Milam,
1999)
Bottom: 1998 Valor Awards Ceremony. From left to
right, Fire Chief Lester Tyra, Kelly Miller Firefighter,
recipient of the Medal of Valor, Sr. Captain James Miller,
dad. (Photo by Matt Milam)
The 1990s | 57
When Fire House 1 opened in 1968 the Arson Division and
Fire Prevention moved into the 4th floor. In late 1999
both divisions moved to a leased office building on 12th Street at
Seamist. These photos were taken on moving day.
(All photos by Matt Milam)
Top: Arson and Fire Prevention group shot. From left to right,
John Monnat Inspector, Roland Morgan Arson Investigator,
Doug Duncan Inspector, Robert Castlebury Inspector, J. D.
Harris Sr. Inspector, John Bush Inspector, Robert Kent Sr. Arson
Investigator, Chief Inspector Dan Pruitt, Chief Arson Investigator
Roy Paul, Fire Marsal Eddie Corral, Chief Inspector Perry
Schindewolf, Leo Mays Inspector, Earnest Punch Inspector,
Bill Bivens Sr. Inspector, Dennis Ducket Sr. Arson Investigator,
George Ward Arson investigator.
Bottom Left: Left to right, Chief Inspector Perry Schindewolf,
Chief Inspector Dan Pruitt, Fire Marshal Eddie Corral.
Bottom Right: Roland Morgan Arson Investigator.
58 | The 1990s
Opposite: Fire House 1 located 410 Bagby Street at Preston Street. Built in 1968. This served as a fire house and headquarters for the HFD. This building took the place of the old
Central Station 1300 Preston Street at Caroline Street, which was built in 1924. It served as a fire house, headquarters and a police station. This photo was taken shortly before the
fire house was closed, refer to page 72 for more information. (Photo by Matt Milam)
The 1990s | 59