The Malden Fire Department, Local Elected Officials, and Residents From the City of Malden Take Part in a Dedication for Fallen Firefighter
May 23, 1969; An afternoon fire alarm was triggered at Malden Hospital and Ladder 3 was cruising over to investigate — but there was an accident at the intersection of Highland and Pleasant streets, which took the life Lt. James Doherty
It was the last time the Malden Fire Department lost a firefighter in the line of duty, and officials converged at that location on Oct. 10 to dedicate a memorial in Doherty’s memory.
Speaking before the unveiling of the "Lieutenant James "Skip" Doherty Square" sign at the intersection, Fire Chief Jack Colangeli asked those present to remember Doherty and the hazards firefighters face in serving the community.
"By all accounts Lt. Doherty was a true gentleman and loved the Malden Fire Department," he said. "We as firefighters know the dangers that come with our difficult work. We accept these dangers because…what we do truly matters."
The sign was erected at the small triangle park between Pleasant, Highland and Elm streets. The area is properly known as Harris Delta, named in honor of William Leo Harris, a local soldier who died while serving in France during WWI. A memorial to Harris is just a few feet away from the new sign.
Colangeli said Ladder 3 was heading north on Highland just after 2:30 p.m. when it struck a deputy chief’s car that was moving west on Pleasant. The car crashed into a wall near the Minuteman Statue, while Ladder 3 lurched toward the delta, which was occupied by more than a dozen Beebe School students, who were walking home.
Ladder 3 was driven that day by firefighter Andy Connors, and Colangeli said he reacted quickly to avoid the students.
"Firefighter Connors turned the wheel sharply to the left to avoid the children," he said. "Ladder 3, an open cab ladder truck, skidded, hit the curb and ejected Lt. Doherty."
Doherty, 64, was one month away from retirement. Colangeli said he was the 15thfirefighter in the history of the department to die in the line of duty.
Also speaking at the dedication was Former Fire Chief John Garrity, who was with the department for 43 years before retiring in 1984. He remembered that firefighters congregated at the delta after the accident, but many of them were called-out to a house fire a couple of hours later.
"I was here that day," he said, after the ceremony. "It was one of the saddest days of my life."
Article Courtesy of Nathan Lamb of the Malden Observer
For more photos from the City of Malden website, click here
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