Fire Dog, “Leo” – 1938
“Leo” was a mongrel “with short brown hair and maybe a little terrier in him.” In 1932 he wandered into Station 3 and was adopted as a mascot by the fire crews.
Leo was later credited with saving the live of Private Charles Hobday who while fighting a fire at the Howell & Hyde Shoe String Factory at 1680 Cranston Street fell through the floor and into the smoke filled basement. Firefighters didn’t carry portable radios in those days, and there was no way for Hobday to call for help other than to yell and hope he’d be heard. Leo, knowing of Hobday’s situation, stood near the hole barking for help until other firefighters came to the rescue.
On December 12, 1938, an alarm came in for station 3, and as the trucks were pulling out of the station, Leo was accidentally run over and killed. He was buried in a marked grave on the northeast corner of the property of station 3. The inscription on the small white marker reads: “Leo, Died In Service, Dec. 12, 1938.”
Acting Captain Louis E. Graziano – 1943
Shortly before 9 a.m. on December 4, 1943, firefighters responded to a three story tenement house fire at 633-635 Reservoir Avenue. Upon their arrival smoke and flames could be seen spewing from the upper floors.
One of the residents of the building was 72-year-old Mrs. Alice Heseltine, who was trapped on the third floor and attempting to climb out a window onto a second floor porch. Firefighters, under the command of Acting Captain Louis Graziano, immediately set about erecting a ladder to reach her. Once the ladder was in place, Graziano quickly scaled it. As he was attempting to help the woman through the window, both were exposed to thick toxic smoke billowing from the apartment. After successfully rescuing the woman from the apartment, Graziano started down the ladder carrying her over his shoulder. As he was doing so, he slipped from the ladder and fell thirty feet to the ground, landing on top of 18-year-old Private Walter H. Richardson who was holding the bottom of the ladder.
Capt. Graziano, Pvt. Richardson, and Mrs. Heseltine, were all critically injured and rushed to St. Joseph’s Hospital in Providence. Graziano died in route. Mrs. Heseltine passed away the following day. Pvt. Richardson suffered life-threatening injuries and was admitted for treatment. A newspaper report dated December 16, 1943, stated his condition had been upgraded to “good”. No further information as to his recovery is known at this time.
The fire was believed to have started with the explosion of an oil stove.
Captain Graziano is buried in St. Ann’s Cemetery. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/156768327/louis-graziano
Fire Dog, “Lady Judy” – 1953
A tragic incident for the department occurred on Christmas Eve 1953. On that day, an alarm came in for a fire on Princess Avenue, and Engine 3 was one of the apparatus dispatched to respond. The crews at Station 3 had a mascot; a 6-year-old Dalmatian named “Lady Judy” who accompanied the firemen to all the alarms. The dog loved going to fires, and would often sleep in the hose bed of Engine 3. On this day, she’d jumped aboard Engine 3 as usual, but when the engine arrived on scene, she jumped off and ran ahead as the truck was laying a hose line, and suddenly darted in front of the moving engine and was killed. She was greatly missed.
Source: Providence Journal, “Cranston Fire Dog Killed By Hose Truck She Loved”, December 25, 1953.
Private Richard S. Church – 1954
On February 27, 1954, the Cranston Fire Department received an alarm of fire at 58 Cliffdale Avenue in Edgewood, and apparatus from the Edgewood and Pawtuxet stations were dispatched. Driving one of the city ladder trucks was Private Richard S. Church, (26). Just as he arrived at the scene and brought the vehicle to a stop, he slumped over the wheel unconscious. An ambulance transported him to St. Joseph’s Hospital in Providence where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
It was noted that shortly before the Cliffdale alarm, Pvt. Church had been dispatched to fight a chimney fire at 233 Park Avenue, and it was thought that he’d suffered some smoke inhalation at that time.
Pvt. Church had been appointed to the Cranston Fire Department on October 19, 1949. He was survived by his wife and two children, and is buried in Pawtuxet Memorial Park in Warwick.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/119586919/richard-s-church#view-photo=91720200
Source: Unknown Newspaper, “Fireman Drives To Fire, Dies”, February 28, 1954.
Deputy Chief Raymond A. Church – 1979
On the night of September 13, 1979, firefighters responded to a fire in a strip mall at 310 Atwood Avenue, and upon arrival that found the Décor By Cedars drapery shop on fire. Witnesses later stated that they saw a flash from inside the building before the fire broke out.
Twenty-five firefighters, both from the city and the Meshanticut Volunteer Fire Company came under the command of Cranston’s Deputy Chief Raymond A. Church, a 25-year-veteran of the department. Chief Church entered the building with fellow firefighters, and the fire was brought under control within ten minutes. As the firemen withdrew from the building they discovered Chief Church lying unresponsive among some debris. He was rushed to a hospital where he was pronounced dead of an apparent heart attack.
Evidence was found to indicate that the fire was intentionally set, and Cranston Police detectives, as well as the State Fire Marshall’s Office investigated. It was determined that the rear door to the business had been forced by the arsonist. Chief Church’s death was therefore ruled a homicide by Chief State Medical Examiner, Dr. William Sturner, who stated the heart attack was “aggravated and accelerated” by fighting the fire.
Deputy Chief Church joined the Cranston Fire department in 1954, and was named Deputy Chief in 1975. He was also a Marine Corps veteran of the Korean War.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/119586570/raymond-a-church
Private Peter D’Abrosca – 1983
On the morning of October 2, 1983, Private Peter D’Abrosca, (27), was on his way to work from his home in North Kingstown when he observed a car crash into a pole on the Hunt River Bridge on Post Road near the North Kingstown – East Greenwich town line. Without regard for his own personal safety, Pvt. D’Abrosca stopped to render aid to the car’s occupants. (Pvt. D’Abrosca was assigned to Rescue Co. 1 in Edgewood.) Upon coming in contact with the wrecked auto, he was immediately electrocuted and killed due to the auto being electrified with 7,200 volts of electricity.
In October of 1999, the Hunt River Bridge was re-dedicated the Peter D’Abrosca Memorial Bridge.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/17031993/peter-j-d’abrosca