Chief Gerald Freed

In 1972, a pole alarm was pulled at Richmond Street and Virginia Avenue. A fire had broken out at Holdeman's Supplies and the smoke could be seen for miles. Multiple attempts had been made to steal fuel from a gas tank on the property and a blaze ignited underneath. Three firefighters jumped off the truck and began putting water on the fire while the engineer drove a few yards down to keep the engine at a safe distance.

As he drove away, the tank exploded. Some of the men fled up a nearby hill. Others caught fire and tried to extinguish the flames that engulfed their bodies. Eight of the 11 firefighters present that day were severely burned. Two, then-Chief Gerald Freed and Terry Crouch, died from their injuries.