Greenwald Brothers Furniture Company Building -- located at the corner of State Street and Oakley Avenue in Downtown Hammond was completely destroyed by a stubborn fire which started in the basement of the building. The blaze started around 11:30 p.m. on Monday February 14th 1927. The Hammond Fire Department arrived on the scene, quickly just after the alarm had been received. Within an hour the fire was thought to be extinguished, as the crowds of curious bystanders started to depart the scene.

Then firefighters noticed flames emerging from a hole in the floor. Within ten minutes the contents of furniture, upholstery and bedding ignited into a spectacular blaze the likes of which the city hadn't scene since the huge inferno that devastated the Ruff Hardware Store some five years ago. With the fire now completely out of control, Fire Chief Nill recruited the help of nearby fire departments of Gary and South Chicago, in a desperate effort to save the four year old structure. However their efforts were in vain, their only hope now was to keep the blaze from engulfing nearby buildings.

Shortly before dawn the flames were brought under control, so that the neighboring fire companies called in for assistance could return back to their communities. The building and its entire contents valued at some $250,000 were a total loss. The inferno was so extreme that the residents in the buildings located on the south side of State Street had to vacate their residences. Also workers in the nearby Federal building were unable to return to work because of the intense heat that was stored in the stone and masonry walls. It was later determined that the source of the fire was from a relay which controlled an electrical sign located in the basement.

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Above photos and source information from:
The archives of the Hammond Historical Society -- Calumet Room of the Hammond Public Library.
The microfilms of The Times newspapers located at the Hammond Public Library.
Twentieth Century Time Capsule © 1999 HammondIndiana.com

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