Look back: Firemen injured battling 1964 massive blaze in Kingston

Times Leader (Wilkes-Barre, PA)

Jun. 7--A general alarm fire reported as the worst in the history of Kingston destroyed two lumber companies, four homes, seven vehicles and injured 21 people, mostly firemen, on Aug. 9, 1964.

More than 260 firefighters from across the Wyoming Valley were called to battle the massive blaze at John and Union streets. More than 60 men from the 109th Field Artillery were called to assist in crowd and traffic control and help in evacuating homes that were threatened by flames.

"The fire which broke out about noon was fanned by high winds which spread it over one quarter block area," the Times Leader reported Aug. 10, 1964.

Most of the injured firemen suffered minor burns and lacerations as well as smoke inhalation, the newspaper reported.

Clarence Hyatt, a member of the Columbian Fire Co., was the lone firefighter admitted to Nesbitt Memorial Hospital in Kingston.

Three buildings of the Ruggles Lumber Company at West Union and Railroad streets, a building used to mill wood by the Dorranceton Millwork Company on John Street, and four homes on John Street were destroyed in the blaze.

Sixteen people were forced to stay with friends or find other housing.

A boxcar used to store wood at the Ruggles Lumber Company was also destroyed. Rail cars parked on the Erie-Lackawanna tracks were sparred from the fire.

Damage was estimated to be $500,000, the Times Leader reported.

"The blaze believed to have started in the area near the intersection of John and Railroad streets was discovered shortly after noon. The windswept flames spread rapidly throughout the area and a general alarm was sounded at 12:20 p.m. The fire was completely out of control when Columbian and Independent Hose companies of Kingston arrived," the newspaper reported.

Firefighters from Luzerne were given the task of keeping flames away from the Union Petroleum Company, a gasoline service station, on Union Street.

"Firefighters set up a wall of water at the gas pumps," the Times Leader reported.

"Smoke from the fire fed by paint, varnish and turpentine could be seen throughout the Wyoming Valley. Embers from the fire fell on properties more than one-half mile away," reported the Times Leader.

Employees at Bonner Chevrolet hurried to drive away 20 new automobiles parked on a lot between John and Vaughn streets.

"Electrical service to 1,000 customers and telephone service at about 900 homes and businesses was affected," the Times Leader reported.

It took nearly 7 hours to bring the fire under control.

The following day, Aug. 10, 1964, officials with the Ruggles Lumber Company recovered a safe in the burned debris.

"It was reported that the outside of the strongbox was badly burned but all contents were intact. Company records, insurance policies and other business papers were kept in the safe," the Times Leader reported Aug. 11, 1964.

Nearly 36 hours after the fire originated, firefighters returned several times to extinguish flareups.

An investigation by Kingston Fire Chief Frank Hillard and State Police Fire Inspector Robert Stempack determined the fire originated near a cinder block building used to store saw dust but did not ignite inside the building, reported the Times Leader on Aug. 12, 1964.

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