Disasters - Fires

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Title: Disasters - Fires
Photographer: W. H. Brinkman
Subject Headings: Disasters - Fires, Persons, Buildings
Condition: Good
Description: Fire breaks out at a warehouse on the shores of Portage Lake in Ripley. [Photo of the roaring blaze with two people with fire hoses in the middle of the image. Please see comment section for further information.]
Source of Description: Daily Mining Gazette Article [Cataloger]
Institution: Michigan Technological University Archives and Copper Country Historical Collections
Donor: Robert Skuggen
Date of Photo: June 23 1965
Medium: still image
Color: black and white
Size: 13.4 cm x 19.4 cm
Polarity: Positive
Image No: MS051-024-004-002
Collection Name: Daily Mining Gazette Photograph Collection
Terms of Use: Rights to reproduce and distribute this image may be restricted. Contact the Michigan Technological University Archives and Copper Country Historical Collections for further information.
User Comments:
• Firemen fighting a vicious blaze yesterday afternoon on the shores of Portage Lake in Ripley found themselves completely surrounded by flames while attempting to control the blaze in one area and preventing it from spreading to another. With gusts of wind upwards of 30-40 miles an hour, the group of firemen shown here in the middle of the picture found their cover gear warped and scorched from the flames. Some coats showed signs of melting. To the left and right of the photo can be seen balls of fire bursting out of oil drums that were stored in the old 100 ft. long warehouse. The small structure in the middle houses many barrels of fuel oil and several hoses were aimed at it to keep the blaze under control and to cool off the drums of oil inside. Disregarding their own safety the firemen of Houghton, Hancock and Ripley surrounded the potentially dangerous area and shot six streams into what could have developed into a holocaust. Other fire departments such as Hurontown, Chassell, Lake Linden, Calumet and C & H, stood by with orders to move at once if the blaze was unable to be contained. [Daily Mining Gazette Article - June 22, 1965]
4/11/2008 9:03:47 AM by Christine Holland, Archives