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On June 17th 1972, a large fire occurred at the former Vendome Hotel
building (located at Dartmouth Street and Commonwealth Avenue).
The blaze took about three hours to extinguish.The
normal clean-up operation subsequently began, and without any warning, the
southeast section of the building collapsed. Nine Boston fire fighters
were killed, with eight injured. The heroism and
selflessness of fire professionals must always be honored and remembered.
Vendome Hotel Fire Memorial
A memorial was built to honor the nine fire fighters who lost their lives, and was dedicated on June 17th
1997. The memorial is a low wall constructed of black granite, and is
draped with a bronze fire fighter helmet and coat. A bench rests
in front of the memorial, where one can read the inscribed names of the
honored fire fighters, and also view the Vendome Hotel building across the
street.
Vendome Hotel Fire Memorial (Helmet & Coat)
Thomas J. Carroll, John E. Hanbury Jr.,
Thomas W. Beckwith, Joseph E. Boucher Jr., Charles E. Dolan, John E. Jameson, Richard B. Magee, Paul J. Murphy, and Joseph P.
Saniuk are the
fire fighters who made the ultimate sacrifice for the community. Eight women were widowed, and twenty-five
children lost their fathers as a result of the fire.
Vendome Hotel, c.1905
The Vendome Hotel was often described as luxurious and
palatial. The original building was constructed in 1871, with several
additions later made. Many famous people stayed at the Vendome,
including Presidents Harrison and Cleveland, and industrial tycoons Andrew
Carnegie and John Rockefeller. This author presumes the building
remained a hotel until the late 1950's or early 1960's. Directly across from the building and
opposite the Vendome Hotel Fire Memorial, is the statue of Abolitionist William
Lloyd Garrison.
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