One hundred years ago today, April 12, 1908, Palm Sunday started out pleasantly in Chelsea, Massachusetts. The sun was out, the temperature was cool, but a growing wind was up to a steady 30 mph by 8:00 am. The small city of 37,000 across the river from Boston was preparing for their Sunday church services.

Chelsea Square

At 10:44 am a fire alarm was transmitted from box 28 at 2nd and Carter Streets. The responding fire engine found that some rags that had been laid out to dry on a patch of vacant ground had caught on fire. It was easily handled, but while they were there the wind, still growing, blew one of the burning rags onto the roof of a nearby building. The building fire was knocked down rather quickly, but Fire Chief Spencer had cautiously struck a 2nd alarm due to the high winds.

Chelsea’s fire department in those days consited of a chief, one assistant chief, 21 full-time firefighters and 56 call firemen. Chief Spencer’s apparatus roster consisted of 3 steamers, 2 hose wagons, 1 chemical wagon, 1 ladder truck and 24 horses.

Chelsea FD Ladder 1 & Chemical 1

While they were picking up from the bulding fire on Carter Street they noticed a new fire starting up at a 3-story shop building 100 yards away. Within seconds it was fully involved. Chief Spencer immediately struck the “box 698″ signal which sent a mutual aid call for Boston’s FD. While this was happening, the wind carried more flaming debris to several other buildings including a tar paper factory across the street. The burning tar papers emitted an intense heat and set a nearby shed that was used to store gasoline alight. The shed blew up and it was “Katy, bar the door” from then on.

City Hall block and 2 churches

The fire roared out of control as the gale winds raised to 40 mph with moments where they hit 60. The fast-moving fire raced through the city’s downtown and industrial tenement district eventually consuming ½ the city, 492 acres and 2 bridges.

Everett Ave.

Within 10 hours, 18 miles of streets suffered the loss of over 3,000 buildings and leaving 18,000 people homeless. Half of all the curbstones literally crumbled from the searing heat. The city lost 13 churches, 8 schools, 4 banks, the hospital, library, City Hall, Post Office and 4 newspapers. The home town of Horatio Alger was left a pile of ashes.

Broadway north from Everett

Church at 5th and Chestnut

All photos courtesy Chelsea Historical Society.

Chelsea Historical Society WEBSITE.
Chelsea Fire Department HISTORY.

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