# I remember when....



## Nuke_TRT (Feb 10, 2008)

On October 11th, 1973...

Chelsea was on fire again. Already the scene of one of the biggest fires in the history of the country in 1908, the city was engulfed anew on October 14, 1973. A new inferno had begun just a few hundred yards from the original fire. The scope of the conflagration is difficult to imagine, with 18 city blocks burned right down to the ground. Over 600 people lost their jobs when businesses went up in flames along with homes as over 300 buildings burned. Help from 67 Massachusetts fire departments poured into Chelsea, and with a mile-long area on fire, there was plenty of work to go around. No one was killed. _Lane Turner and Lisa Tuite_










FULL ARTICLE AND PICTURES

And audio from chelsea fire alarm courtesy of kdd985.com
CHELSEA FIRE AUDIO TAPE 1
CHELSEA FIRE AUDIO TAPE 2
CHELSEA FIRE AUDIO TAPE 3
CHELSEA FIRE AUDIO TAPE 4
CHELSEA FIRE AUDIO TAPE 5


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## sdb29 (Jul 17, 2002)

An old friend of mine was a Boston University cop at the time. Apparently at the time the BU police drove red & white cruisers. So either the first or second fire he was working and took a ride over to Chelsea to take a look. The Globe was there taking pictures, and a picture of the red & white BU cruiser parked in front of the charred ruins in Chelsea was front page above the fold in the Globe the next day.
Oops.

Rest in Peace, Phil


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## LA Copper (Feb 11, 2005)

I was living in Arlington at the time. I remember driving up Route 2 to its highest point with my parents to see the spectacular view from there; it was incredible.


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## Nuke_TRT (Feb 10, 2008)

I remember going to my grandparent's house on top of Bellingham St, after being told to evacuate from near the city hall. I remember flaming embers and debris floating in the air. It was very eerie. 

I remember leaving the city for a few days and upon coming back, walking around looking at all the destruction. The brass couplings from the hoses that were abandoned in place had melted into ingots on the street. Almost like a scene from a WWII movie.


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## 7costanza (Aug 29, 2006)

History always repeats itself.


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