100 years ago in Spokane: 2 firefighters still seriously ill after inhaling toxic fumes in downtown fire

From our archives, 100 years ago

About 57 Spokane firefighters were still suffering from the effects of toxic fumes from a fire in a downtown pharmaceutical storeroom.

Most of the firefighters were doing better, but two remained seriously ill at Sacred Heart Hospital. One had conjunctivitis in both eyes and the other had acute gastritis and discharges of blood from inflamed lungs and throat.

At the height of the fire in the Peyton building, the emergency hospital ward was filled to its 40-bed capacity and some firefighters had to be released to make room for new arrivals with more serious symptoms. About 25 spent the night, but most were able to leave in the morning.

Several firefighters, including Capt. H.C. Gillette, suffered bouts of delirium. Gillette “struggled violently with half a dozen attendants at the hospital.” The next morning, he said he remembered nothing of the affair.

“The symptoms of poisoned firemen were similar to those of extreme intoxication,” said the doctor who treated them.

The drug store owner said the basement contained a wide variety of chemicals, drugs and rubber merchandise, “all of which probably contributed to the debilitating effect of the smoke.” The doctor said “nitric acid and chlorine undoubtedly were present.” Chlorine gas was familiar in 1916 as one of the poison gases used in the European war.

The doctor said headaches “were nearly universal” the next day among the stricken firefighters, yet he was confident that no permanent damage was likely.