Firefighter Thomas Moore

On December 9, 1891 at 6:20pm, the first fire occurred at the Boone Paper Company.

The fire quickly spread to the upper floors and roof of the Bamberger Streng & Co, F. W. Johanboeke & Son and the Bliss-Woolford-Payne Company. They were located at 631, 633, 635, 637 and 639 West Main Street.

The fire was brought under control with great difficulty at 10:00pm. Several fire companies were left to overhaul the Boone Paper Company. Some of the gas accumulated in the basement of the Bamberger and Streng & Co. building located next door to the burned out ruins of the Boone Paper Company.

At 2:40am the following morning, the gas ignited a terrific explosion causing a second tremendous fire.

Tragically, a wall of the Boone Paper Company building collapsed on top of four unsuspecting firemen overhauling the original fire, one of them being Firefighter Samuel Baker. This occurred at Fire Alarm Box "Fatal 48".