Yonkers Tower 14 in Hartsdale Photo

[Guest]

Looking at the photo of Yonkers Tower 14 working a fire in Hartsdale, my guess is that it is the pizzeria fire in the late seventies. The location is the Dalewood Shopping Center.

If my memory is accurate, the owner of the pizzeria wanted to collect insurance on his business. A fire was set and it ruptured the main gas line coming into the shop. The fire escalated into the attached Pathmark Supermarket. The fire also caused a roof collapse.

Hopefully this will jog the memory of others who may have more details about this fire. I repeat, this is only a guess on my part.

Edited February 6, 2006 by husky

[ex-commish 490]

I too suspect the fire was in the late 70's but I am going strictly by the apperance of the ladder truck. Unless my eyes are going I believe the member on the turntable is wearing bunkerpants which tells me this could be a later date as I joined the fire service in 1980 and do not recall departments going to bunker pants till the early 80's allthough Yonkers could of went to bunker's much earlier. Just a humble guess.

Andy Mancusi

Chief

Hawthorne FD

[dc2t 80]

Dalewood Shoppping center fire 1975, burned all stores between the Movie and Pathmark.

Set by 2 men one who owned pizzeria, poured gasoline forgot about pilot lights. Both were found smoldering in front parking lot being blown out. 1man died as reasult of injuries. Bunker pants were worn as night hitch in the good ole days. Numerous units on scene including White Plains,

Fairview to name a few.

[capt36 9]

I think it was more like 1977, I was a C.O. at the County Jail from '77 to '79 and we had the guy that lit it. He was charged with murder and arson and went bye-bye to the State. He had to be kept in the Forensic Unit due to the crime and his burns. You're right about the bunker pants too.

[firecapt32 282]

Capt 36 is right on the money Dalwood shopping center. arson-- I was part of the investigiation team that worked with Fire marshal Butler, from the D.A.Office and Dan Berry From the Town of Greenburgh and Chief Schoonmaker from Hartsdale F.D.. when I say part of the investigiation team I mean it in a very loose way--- Joe and Dand would say" hey kid dig over here" " look at this" "hey kid dig over here- uncover this pile of lets see whats under it." when they were through thay also said " hey kid come over here and learn" they were some of the best investigatior around.

Joe will be remembered this friday Feb 10 at the Training center with a special plaque dedicated to him memory.

[batt2 145]

The date of that fire is consistent with the rig numbering scheme. Yonkers used it from 1975 to 1978. Trucks were numbered the same as the Engine they were quartered with. Bunkers were issued in August 1990. He might have his hip boots rolled up to the top of the boot but not pulled up the leg. It was a trick to avoid pulling the boots all the way until the last minute. Though you could get wet or burned if you forgot...

[HFD23 37]

December 14th 1975 is the correct date and it is the dalewood shopping center hartsdale ladder 47 is just to the right of the yonkers tower ladder.

Also those replys about that fire being arson are correct and the fire originated in Perriello's pizza having been started by the owner and an accomplice. i have more photos and some of the news paper articles from this fire if any one is interesed.

Edited February 7, 2006 by HFD23

[61MACKBR1 222]

Absolutely Correct - It was the Old Perirello's Pizzeria in the Dalewood Shopping Center, to which the owner was convicted and sent to prison for. Yonkers Tower Ladder 14, was a "Rare Sight" in Yonkers. This rig, which arrived in Yonkers a year earlier, was originally marked as "Tower Ladder 1", to which they originally were planning on running out of YFD Hdqrs. However, due to problems with the floor at Hdqrs (Rig was too heavy at the time for the floor they had in Hdqrs) and the fact that this rig spent more time "out of service" than "in service" it was never deemed by YFD, back then, as one of the Showcase Rigs in their fleet. Fact was, this rig remained out of service for almost a year, before re-appearing at Station 14, as Ladder 14 (Station 14, at that time, had a floor that could hold the weight of the rig). To my understanding, from personally speaking to the Chief of YFD at the time (there was no commissioner back then), =tThis Tower Ladder had more problems remaininng in service due to problems with the rig. It spent more time either just sitting idle at Station 3 or at the Repair Shop than in service. However, later on as Ladder 14, or Ladder 70, and then eventually repainted, it had some useful years in the city. But, as with any New Type Of Apparatus (one of the first Mack Baker TL's in the County), it had its "Bugs" that needed to be worked out by the manufacturer.