Identity elements
Reference code
Name and location of repository
Level of description
Item
Title
D57056-1
Date(s)
- 1951-03-19 (Creation)
Extent
Name of creator
Content and structure elements
Scope and content
On the evening of March 19, 1951, a major fire broke out at the Baker Dock, 300 Schuster Parkway, on Tacoma's waterfront when a lift truck that was receiving maintenance backfired. Gil Keske, the dock employee who was working on the lift truck when it backfired, tried to put out the fire with a hand fire extinguisher. When the extinguisher failed to put out the fire, he grabbed a few handtools and escaped before the whole repair shop caught fire. The fire was fought by 9 fire department companies, the city fireboat and 4 Foss Launch & Tug Co. firefighting tugs. The damage to the center section of the warehouse, dock and contents was estimated at $250,000. A fire wall and the absence of a wind aided firemen in keeping the blaze from spreading to the remainder of the facility and the adjoining Shaffer Terminal. (TNT 3/20/1951, pg. 1)
Fires--Tacoma--1950-1960; Baker Dock (Tacoma); Fireboats--Tacoma--1950-1960;