Firefighter Virgil Sams

Last Call: Tue, Aug 18th, 1959

Date of Incident: Tue, Aug 18th, 1959

Cause of Death: Burns

Service Time: 7 years

Age: 28

Survivors

Wife Agness and daughters Shirley and Clara

Incident

A fire was started from a spark at a gasoline bulk filling station while two men were filling there tanker truck. Later in the incident after firefighters had arrived on the scene to douse the flames an explosion occurred. A 20,000 gal. tank exploded engulfing several firefighters in flames and killing Firefighter Sams as well as Captain George Bartels, Captain Peter Sirna, Firefighter Neal Owen, and Firefighter Delbert Stone.