February 22, 1960
Three fire fighters are killed in St. Louis, Missouri, while fighting a blaze in an old three-story building on the night of February 22 in below-freezing temperatures. With 31 pieces of firefighting equipment, fire fighters contained the fire to keep it from spreading to adjoining business establishments. While the men were working on all three floors, a portion of the third floor at a center fire wall gave way without warning. All three floors crashed into the basement carrying fire fighters into a heap of rubble. Six men were released quickly, but the others were pinned down by heavy timbers and debris. After hours of work, the three fire fighters who were trapped were declared dead.
