Fire!

Estimated reading time: 2 minutes

The Asheville Fire Department was formally organized in 1882. After a fatal fire on Vance Street, a group of citizens demanded action from town officials. A hand truck and equipment were purchased and the volunteer Hook and Ladder Company #1 was born. Two years later, Hose Company #1 was formed, also hand-drawn.

The first horse-drawn hose carriage was introduced in 1887. The first horse-drawn ladder truck was added by 1891. Motor apparatus arrived in 1912. The first fire engines included a pair of Seagrave combination chemical and hose trucks, and a Seagrave combination chemical and service ladder truck. The department was fully motorized by 1917.

The volunteers were partly paid in the 1900s, with four fully paid personnel on the roster by 1913. The entire department became fully paid in April 1924, with six companies operating at three stations. Six new stations were opened between 1919 and 1929, five of which are still standing.

More articles on fires:

Fire set during a robbery(Opens in a new browser tab)

Something hit the roof – like a rubber ball(Opens in a new browser tab)

‘Fire: An Urban Menace’ opens at Jonesborough/Washington County History Museum(Opens in a new browser tab)