Eleven firefighters have died in the line of duty serving the City of York
April 6, 1904
John Henry Saltzgiver – Vigilant (volunteer)
Lewis M. Strubinger – Vigilant (volunteer)
Horace Frank Strine – Vigilant (volunteer)
Saltzgiver, Strubinger and Strine were crushed and trapped by falling walls while fighting the fire at the York Carriage Works complex on West North Street. The three-alarm fire was sounded from Box 27 at the Variety Iron Works. The wall fell over six hours after the original alarm of fire was sounded.
December 2, 1909
Elias Spangler – Goodwill (volunteer)
Spangler was at the Goodwill when an alarm of fire was sounded from Box 19 at King Street and Columbia Avenue. The driver was out of the station for supper. Spangler decided to drive the steamer to the call. Spangler was thrown from apparatus and killed while responding to the fire at 121 Orange Street.
June 9, 1915
William E. Bush – Rescue (volunteer)
While preparing the apparatus to drive to an alarm of fire at Box 126, Jackson and Beaver Streets, the horses bolted and Bush was pulled from the apparatus and run over and killed when responding to a garage fire to the rear of 143 West Jackson Street.
January 8, 1928
Harold E. Strebig – Rex (volunteer)
Strebig was crushed by a wall blown out by a natural gas explosion on the second floor of the Susquehanna Garage at 825 Cleveland Ave. during a structure fire. The two-alarm fire was sounded from Box 126 at Jackson and Beaver Streets
May 11, 1934
Walter F. Hugentugler – Rescue (volunteer)
Hugentugler died as a result of injuries sustained on May 8, 1934 when he slipped under apparatus in front of the Rex fire station and had his right leg broken and his left hip dislocated. The apparatus was responding to a fire alarm from Box 138 at College Avenue and Hartley Street.
October 29, 1940
Eugene Greiman – Laurel (paid driver)
Greiman responded to Box 131 at College and Pershing Avenues. Greiman was operating the Laurel booster engine at the scene of a fire at 242 West Princess Street when he collapsed. Greiman was rushed to the hospital in a police car, where he was pronounced dead from a coronary occlusion.
February 25, 1943
Henry F. W. Rudy – Eagle (volunteer)
Rudy tried to board and fell from a moving apparatus and was killed. The engine was responding to a grass fire sounded from Box 53, Vander and Boundary Avenues.
March 29, 1957
J. William Wills – Vigilant (volunteer)
Wills died at York Hospital from smoke inhalation and an existing cardiac condition after being transported from a two-alarm fire at the Rothert Building at 42 through 52 South George Street.
February 25, 1971
Donald R. Harrison – Career Firefighter
While returning to the station from a training exercise, a large tree fell across the cab of the tractor-drawn aerial truck he was riding in, pinning him to the back of the cab. Harrison died later that evening at the hospital.
March 22, 2018
Ivan K. Flanscha – Career Firefighter
Zachary J. Anthony – Career Firefighter
While engaged in firefighting operations on the 4th floor of the former Weaver Organ and Piano Building (127 North Broad Street), the building suddenly, and without warning, collapsed trapping both FF Flanscha and Anthony in the debris. FF Flanscha and Anthony both succumbed to their injuries they sustained as a result of the collapse.
