Past major fires in Henderson, compiled by Chuck Stinnett
Tobacco warehouses, Sept. 12, 1956: An early morning fire destroyed the Argue Tobacco Co. stemmery at Water and First streets (where the post office now stands) and the Soaper Loose Leaf Tobacco warehouse across Water Street (now occupied by the Doc Hosbach tennis courts). In all, it destroyed two buildings, gutted a third and damaged six others. Six firefighters were injured, including three who were hospitalized, by an explosion of a propane tank in the basement of the Argue building, which was being razed. Three pumpers and about 20 firefighters came from Evansville to assist, and fire trucks from Owensboro were on standby. The loss was put at $250,000.
First Presbyterian Church, Sept. 4, 1972: An overnight four-alarm fire believed to have started in the basement consumed the handsome church that was completed in 1894. Aerial trucks from Henderson and Evansville worked to douse the inferno from overhead, but the building was destroyed. The loss was estimated at $1 million, including stained-glass windows that had been appraised at $250,000. The current Presbyterian Church of Henderson was built on that same site and features the bell that was recovered from the original church building on its front porch.
Atlas Tack, June 16, 1978: That conflagration, blamed on sparks from trash being burned nearby, consumed not only the 190,000-square-foot former tack factory at the corner of Atkinson and O’Byrne streets, but also a nearby frame building and warehouse. Various parts of the Atlas building were being used for storing flammable materials such as plastic toys, glue, some 200 barrels of oil and furniture that fueled the inferno, fed by brisk winds. Five acres of tires nearby caught fire, sending aloft clouds of thick, smelly smoke. A ladder and engine company from the Evansville Fire Department came to assist and was credited with preventing the nearby Zephyr gas station from exploding, which could have led to further disaster. Volunteer fire departments from around the county helped fight the fire. The loss was estimated at $1 million. The plant was built in 1903 by Coquilllard Wagon Works and later served as the home to Henderson Wagon Works and a H.J. Heinz ketchup plant. Atlas Tack had operated here from 1940 to 1970.
Period Furniture, Dec. 30, 1998: Fire erupted in the Period Inc. furniture factory at 1700 O’Byrne St. when a natural gas line burst in a large oven used to dry freshly sealed and lacquered furniture. Flames at times rose 40 feet into the air and a huge column of black smoke towered over the East End. The Henderson Fire Department sent all 45 of its firefighters and every piece of equipment it owned, and volunteer firefighters helped at the scene and manned city fire stations in case another fire broke out elsewhere. The loss was estimated at $2 million. Period tried to resume production at other locations in Henderson, but five months after the fire, the company was sold and later relocated to Madisonville. It had operated in Henderson since the late 1940s.
Various photos from Henderson Fire Department fighting fires.
Reference:
Hendersonian: Budge Industries warehouse fire the city’s biggest in decades by Vince Tweddell
