Overturned truck at South 13th Street and Tacoma Avenue, October 24, 1935. Hundreds of spectators were drawn by the sounds of sirens and the smell of spilled gasoline to the scene in front of the Manpie Imai grocery store. Eight fire companies had responded to the potentially hazardous situation. Firefighters on the roof of the charred Bacom Building watch firefighters in the street spray water on a burning Sunset Pacific Oil Co. truck that caused the building fire. Driver John D. O'Brien's brakes had failed on the steep 13th St. hill; he deliberately turned his truck north to avoid heavy downtown traffic. The truck served into the intersection, missing all traffic, tilted onto two wheels, and rolled over. Gallons of gasoline started to flood the street and set fire to a nearby power pole. Driver O'Brien escaped with minor injuries. (T. Times, 10-25-35, p. 1)
Fires--Tacoma--1930-1940; Traffic accidents--Tacoma;