History Continued...

Later that year firemen had their fire encounter with radioactive materials.  Shortly after midnight September 14, 1962 men and equipment responded along the N&W Railroad tracks west of town near Montague's Cut where, upon arrival, they found fire in an express & baggage car.  Radiation was emitted from metal cans being shipped to VPI and the University of Connecticut.  No firemen were injured, but they were on the scene for twelve hours and a special radiation team was dispatched from Fort Lee to check for danger.

Firemen were called to the local radio station (then WBCR) at 2:35 AM January 28, 1963 and found heavy smoke and fire conditions upon arrival.  During the battle of this fire, which was conducted in -7 degree weather, firemen Paul Hall, blinded by smoke, fell head-first down an outside stairwell and suffered two broken wrists.  Later that same year the department fought a large fire at the Christiansburg Garment Company which resulted in a one million dollar loss, the largest in the department's history.

Another large fire occurred in the Cambria section about 1 AM on March 14, 1972 when the Exchange Mill on Depot Street burned.  Local firefighters were assisted by the Radford and Blacksburg Departments who furnished ladder trucks and by the Riner department, who assisted with manpower and covered the Christiansburg station in case of fire elsewhere.

The fire alarm sounded on June 11, 1978 at 1:37 AM for a fire in a three story furniture factory warehouse located on Pepper Street, just off East Main.  Fire was on all three floors and through the roof when the first truck arrived.  The building burned to the ground and three small frame houses on Pepper Street were destroyed.  The Mensh Building and the Richardson Horne Funeral Home warehouse suffered some damage.  Again, Radford and Blacksburg furnished ladder trucks to prevent the fire from spreading further.

The Christiansburg Fire Department was cited for extraordinary service by the Town of Christiansburg and several members were recognized by the Virginia State Firemen's Association for actions taken at fire on April 24, 1984.  An alarm was sounded at 2:30 AM that day for a fire at Bugg's Boarding House on Roanoke Street.  When firemen arrived they were told that several persons wee trapped in the building.  Firefighters entered the building and, amid an explosion caused by a large oxygen tank inside resulting in inferno-like conditions, removed the occupants, all three of which had stopped breathing.  Through this rescue effort and the outstanding work of our brothers and sisters of the local life saving crew, all three lived to tell of their snatch from the jaws of death!

Through the years our department had enjoyed excellent working relations with other fire departments in the area.  A Mutual Aid Plan exists between our town and the Town of Blacksburg, City of Radford and Radford Arsenal.  As evidenced by this history, these fine departments have come to our aid numerous times.  In the manner, we have assisted them fighting fire many times.  Throughout the history of volunteer firefighting in America (the first volunteer company was founded by Ben Franklin in Philadelphia in 1736) there has always been good-natured (in earlier days, not so good natured) competition between companies.  However, it is re-assuring to know that when life or property is endangered all firefighters stand together as one unified force against the great monster - fire.  We also enjoy excellent relations with the rural fire departments in the county and they are always willing to lend their able assistance to us.

In the late '60s and early '70s, cramped quarters again became a major problem for the Christiansburg volunteers.  Access and egress were difficult at the old station downtown.  In 1972 a committee, consisting of C. Fred Blount as Chairman, Harold D. Akers, James W. Epperly, Paul J. Hall, William C. Graham and D.L. "Zeke" Epperly, was appointed to study the matter of building a new fire station in Christiansburg.  The department received excellent response and co-operation from our Town Manager, Mr. John E. Lemley and members of town council as this endeavor was actively pursued.  No fire department, anywhere, could experience a better relationship with, nor receive finer support from government officials than we have received over these "first seventy-five years" from the officials of the Town of Christiansburg.

In 1974 land was acquired on Depot Street, behind the National Guard Armory, and in February, 1976 construction began on the present fire station.  The department moved into this modern headquarters in September, 1977 and has found it to be very beneficial and functional.  It was constructed for the fire department by the Town of Christiansburg at an initial cost of $434,966.

Since the fire department was organized seventy-five years ago, Christiansburg has suffered only four fire related fatalities; in the area of Montgomery County served by this company, three persons have died in fires.  On March 2, 1960, Christiansburg suffered its first fire death.  Sadie Lynch, an elderly invalid, burned to death in her home on Quality Road, just a couple of blocks from the fire station.  Although firemen arrived in just minutes of the alarm, the house was engulfed in flames.  Fire was coming from the house when the alarm was turned in, according to neighbors, and there was no chance of rescue.

Henry Clark's body was removed from the kitchen of his home adjoining Edna's Steak House on Rt. 11 west of Christiansburg on March 22, 1963 after fire gutted the home.  Mrs. James R. Neal died in a fiery, two car crash on Rt. 8 South of town on December 18, 1965; John F. Redd died on Rt. 114 on January 26, 1971 when the pick up truck he was driving burst into flames; Talfred N. Chafin was found dead near his home in the Hans Meadow area by firefighters responding to a report of smoke on the afternoon of February 25, 1976.  He had died of burns and smoke inhalation when a brush fire raged out of control and spread through the area.

A fire at the home of Mrs. Ruth B. Cheatham on Montgomery Street in the early morning hours of May 6, 1979 claimed her life.  Firemen rescued her from her burning bedroom and she was rushed to the local hospital where she died of burns and smoke inhalation a few hours later.

And an early morning blaze on the second floor of the Do-Drop Inn in the Cambria section took the life of Early Jackson Duncan on November 14, 1981.  He was dead of smoke inhalation when firemen carried him from the burning building only minutes after the alarm was sounded.  Several other occupants of the building either escaped or were rescued by firemen.

In these seventy-five years of firefighting no Christiansburg fireman has lost his life while performing fire department duties.  For this we give humble thanks and pray that our Heavenly Father will continue to protect us from the ever present dangers.  Each year in this nation, hundreds of firefighters are killed and thousands are seriously injured in the performance of their duties.  A number of our own have been injured, some rather seriously, through the years.  Broken bones, bruises, cuts, heat exhaustion and smoke inhalation are no strangers to us.  Our predecessors in the department were without much (indeed most) of the protective equipment that we command today -- breathing apparatus, bunker gear, warning devices, two-way radios, etc. We wonder what innovations and improvements the next seventy-five years will bring!?

As we have been fondly looking back over the past seventy-five years, we, at the same time, look forward with great anticipation to the future and pledge ourselves anew to uphold the Firemen's Tradition...SERVICE TO OUR FELLOW MAN.