10/14/2026
๐๏ธ HIDDEN HISTORY FALL RIVER
๐ฅ THE FIRESTONE FIRE OF 1941
Did you know that 85 years ago this week, Fall River was the scene of one of the most devastating industrial fires in American history?
On October 11, 1941, a massive fire tore through the Firestone Rubber & Latex Products Company on Ferry Street, right along Fall River's waterfront.
Five of the plant's eight buildings were destroyed. Ten firefighters were injured when a wall collapsed.
And here's where this story gets even crazier.
The Fall River Historical Society reports that 15,850 tons of rubber were lost, with damages estimated at $12 million. That's an unbelievable amount of material, especially considering what was happening around the world.
This was less than two months BEFORE the attack on Pearl Harbor and America's entry into World War II.
Rubber was essential for tires, military vehicles, aircraft, and countless other products. In fact, the loss was so significant that a federal wartime publication later described the Fall River fire as destroying one-tenth of the nation's rubber reserves!
Think about that for a minute. A fire right here in Fall River had consequences that reached far beyond our city.
And behind those numbers were real people. Workers whose livelihoods were disrupted, firefighters risking their lives, and families wondering what would happen next.
Today, the waterfront looks very different, but parts of that industrial history are still with us.
85 years later, it's a piece of Fall River history worth remembering.
Does anyone remember hearing stories about the Firestone fire from their parents or grandparents? Maybe someone in your family worked there?
We'd love to hear those stories!
#1941
