BLAST FATALLY INJURES LOCAL FIREMAN
On Friday morning, (March 19, 1948), RFD Fireman Lawrence Ghearing was fighting a minor vehicle fire near South 22nd & Main Street. The burning engine of the Miller-Kemper company truck required further attention, and while Ghearing was using his fire estinquisher to control the flames, the soda-acid extinguisher exploded. He was fatally injured from the fragments of the explosion. The accident happened at about 8:00 a.m. and Ghearing was pronounced dead at Reid Memorial Hospital at 10:30 a.m. Lawrence (Red) Ghearing was the 5th Richmond Fireman to die while on duty. He had been with the fire department since August 1, 1946. The U.S. Army veteran was 36 years old. Burial was at the St. Mary Catholic Cemetery.
Palladium Item; Friday; March 19, 1948; Front Page
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This is #5 of a 6 part series Richmond Fire Department Casualties * 1) Philip Riley (Vol. Dept) 1860; Death resulted from fall * 2) William M. Kenney (RFD) 1924; Death resulted from falling timbers * 3) Chief Edgar E. Miller (RFD) 1931; Death resulted from smoke asphyxiation * 4) Assistant Chief Earl H. Miller (RFD, son of Chief Ed Miller) 1943; Death resulted from smoke asphyxiation * 5) Lawrence (Red) Ghearing (RFD) 1948; Death resulted from fire extinguisher explosion