38 Years Ago Today: Toppling Crane Takes Life of LAFD Captain

It wasn't supposed to begin or end like this - the morning of March 22, 1973, as members of the Los Angeles Fire Department "C" Platoon began their 24-hour shift at the firehouse on 'I' Street.

Proud protectors of the harbor community of Wilmington since its annexation to the City of Los Angeles in 1909, the current and former crews at LAFD Station 38 were a hardy stock of veteran firemen devoted to the challenge of serving a district featuring a vast swath of residential and commercial structures, as well as large industrial sites - including refineries, wrecking yards and port-related properties.

Captain Kenneth Kinnaman

Having arrived before dawn, like the men he commanded, Captain Kenneth D. Kinnaman completed his morning duties at Fire Station 38 as he prepared to oversee his crew's "line up", the 8:00 AM ritual of sharing Departmental information at each Los Angeles Fire Station.

At the same time fresh coffee was being poured at the firehouse, a careless crew at a salvage yard attempting to refuel a crane from a 55-gallon drum, would soon seal the fate of Captain Kinnaman and forever change the lives of his crew.

At 7:54 AM on that second day of Spring, the swift clanging of the alarm bell at Fire Station 38 would be heard one last time by the well-respected Captain. Tucking his briefing papers into the station journal, the veteran LAFD leader made his way to the right front seat of the fire apparatus for the 2.1 mile journey to H & S Sales, a scrap-metal salvage yard at 1261 North Alameda Street.

Arriving quickly as the first Officer to establish command at the eight acre scrapyard, Captain Kinnaman directed his personnel in battling flames which had enveloped a crane and extended to a nearby forklift. As his crew made headway on extinguishing the stubborn blaze, a fire-weakened cable supporting the 40-foot boom of the crane suddenly snapped, causing the 20-ton machine to strike Captain Kinnaman from behind, driving him to the ground and crushing him to death.

LAFD Captain Kenneth D. Kinnaman was 47 years-old.

Despite the many dangers and massive blazes on L.A.'s waterfront, Captain Kinnaman holds the unenviable distinction of being the only harbor-area firefighter killed in the line of duty in the Los Angeles Fire Department's 125-year history.

To learn more about our Brother Kenneth and the many others who have made the ultimate sacrifice in their service to the City, we encourage you to visit the Los Angeles Fire Department Museuem and Fallen Firefighter Memorial in Hollywood.


Submitted by Brian Humphrey, Spokesman
Los Angeles Fire Department