The Vendome Hotel fire in Boston on June 17, 1972, remains the largest line-of-duty death toll in the city. Nine firefighters lost their lives fighting that blaze.
Guest columnist Kevin Duffy paid homage to those men the other day (link here to his column.) And today’s “From the Archives” entry shares the front pages that carried the grim news. You’ll notice that Day 2 includes a notice from the publisher that the Record American and Boston Herald Traveler had merged. But the coverage of first-responders remains in this paper’s DNA. When the shots ring out, the alarm bells ring or someone is sick or hurt, police, fire, EMTs and reservists run at the danger. Add doctors, nurses and Good Samaritans to that equation. On the water, the Coast Guard and fellow boaters are also heroes among us.
That’s why we’re devoting today to the Vendome Hotel fire. ... On Saturday, June 17, 1972, that all changed. Fire broke out, 100 customers in a cafe ran out and soon a fire on the upper floors and parts of the building collapsing cost nine firefighters their lives.