BUFFALO, NY (WKBW) — December 27, 1983, was a deeply tragic day in the City of Buffalo’s history. 40-years ago Buffalo firefighters were called to a North Division Street radiator warehouse on the city's east side. Shortly after arriving a huge explosion ripped apart a city block.
The Buffalo Fire radio call reminds us of that fateful night.
“An alarm of fire. North Division and Grosvenor. Engine 32, Engine 3, Engine 1. Ladder 5…” stated the dispatcher.
“And when they got there, the gas built up and ignited,” described Nicholas Catanzaro, son of a fallen Buffalo Firefighter.
Two residents and five Buffalo Firefighters from Ladder 5 all died as a result of the blast.
“They were crushed by their third fire truck from the impact,” Catanzaro explained.
Nicholas Catanzaro was only nine months old when his father, Buffalo Firefighter, 37-year-old Michael Catanzaro died.
But he tells me despite the tragedy, he felt compelled to become a Buffalo Firefighter and work to protect others, just like his dad.
“This is what I was destined to do, and I try to be the best fireman possible and try to make my dad proud every shift,” reflected Catanzaro.
The North Division Street blast was felt by the Buffalo community miles away.
“Even over in Elmwood Village, my whole building just shook. It just shook and the windows panes were rattling, and I couldn't believe that there wasn't a bomb outside my house,” recalled Bob McCarthy.
7 News Political Analyst Bob McCarthy was a new reporter at the Buffalo News 40 years ago and covered the explosion saying it looked like a scene “out of hell.”
"It was just utter devastation everywhere around here. I remember people sitting on a front porch and screaming and crying. I remember a fire truck, which I think was right here, and it was just totally destroyed with bricks embedded into the side of it,” remembered McCarthy. “If you could just imagine these blocks all around here just leveled and on fire and people wailing, screaming, and people laying in the street dead.”
Devastating scenes from that December 27, 1983 explosion were captured by 7 News on that December night. It was all caused by an illegally stored, 500-gallon propane tank that crews accidentally dropped inside the warehouse.
“It broke. It leaked. They knew they were in trouble. They got out of there and they called the fire department just the right thing to do. But the gas leaked into near where a wood stove was burning and by the time these guys pulled up – boom!” McCarthy commented.
It was the deadliest day in the city fire department's history.
Fred Langdon was the Buffalo Fire Commissioner at the time of the disaster. He appeared at a news conference with then-Mayor James Griffin reading the names of the deceased firefighters.
“The deceased firefighters are Firefighter Michael Austin, Firefighter Michael Catanzaro, Firefighter Matthew Colpoys, Firefighter James Lickfeld, Firefighter Anthony Waszkielewicz – all of Ladder 5,” stated Commissioner Langdon.
McCarthy recalls how difficult the situation was for the Buffalo fire leader.
“I never saw such a distraught, almost defeated, shaken man as Commissioner Langdon that day. He just lost five of his men in one of the worst disasters ever to hit the Buffalo Fire and he was utterly defeated,” McCarthy noted.
“They’re heroes in everyone's eyes and I live my life trying to be half the men that they were,” Catanzaro remarked.
Ironically, Catanzaro, as a member of Rescue One also experienced a deadly firefighter blaze last year when Buffalo Firefighter Jason Arno died in a fire on Main Street in downtown Buffalo. Catanzaro was there helping to fight that fire and again looked to his father’s spirit for support.
“I feel like he's with me all the time and even though I have that guardian angel on my shoulder, I still have to be safe and be aggressive, but safe and make sure we go home -- everybody goes home at the end of the day,” explained Catanzaro.
An old, red Buffalo Fire Department firebox remains at the corner of where the former warehouse once stood on North Division as a forever memorial in honor of the two residents and five Buffalo Firefighters killed in what was considered the city fire department's darkest night.
