Lieutenant William P. Patton

Lieutenant Patton was the last member of the Salvage Corps killed in the line of duty. He was off duty and driving his family in their automoblile when he noticed a raging fire in the lumberyard of the Mengle Body Company. He parked his automobile at 15th & Oak Streets and told his family he would return as soon as he could.

Lieutenant Patton entered a warehouse and attempted to activate a sprinkler head. But as he made his way through an elevated walkway that ran the length of the building, he came in contact with an electrical wire. When the current was shut off, he fell 55 feet to the concrete floor below.

A total of 59 firefighters were injured fighting the blaze.