Over 50 Years Later
The Hotel Vendome was built as a luxury hotel in 1871 at 160 Commonwealth Ave. In 1972, an extensive renovation was underway to convert the building into luxury condos, shops, and restaurants. On June 17, 1972, around 2:30 pm, a worker noticed a fire between the third and fourth floors and alerted the fire department. According to the Boston Public Library, a total of 16 engine companies, five ladder companies, two aerial towers, and a heavy rescue company responded to the 4-alarm fire. The fire was knocked down by 4:30 pm.
“Several crews were at the building doing clean-up at around 5:30 pm when the entire southeast corner of the building collapsed without warning, burying 25 firefighters and a ladder truck in a pile of debris. Nine of the firefighters died, making it the greatest loss of life in a single incident in the history of the Boston Fire Department.”
Thousands of firefighters from all over the country and Canada came to Boston to pay their respects to the nine men who died in the collapse. Over 10,000 people attended the funeral Mass held at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross…