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Source Collection
Memphis Press-Scimitar newspaper morgue, Special Collections Department, University of Memphis Libraries
Identifier
sc.0475.66884_02.012
Description
Copy photograph of the roadways attached to the Harahan Bridge across the Mississippi River at Memphis, Tennessee, burning on September 17, 1928. The fire was reportedly started by a discarded cigarette on the creosote-soaked wooden flooring planks near pier #1 about 180 feet from the Memphis side. The fire was fought by six fire companies under the direction of Chief John T Moore. Fire fighters had to physically stretch more than 600 feet of hose to reach the fire. Engine Company #5 under the direction of Captain Connie O’Sullivan, was loaded onto a barge at the foot of Union Avenue and towed to a spot under the bridge to fight the fire from underneath. Firefighters, 80 feet above the river sent down ropes and pulled up two 2 ½” hose lines to fight the fire. The dense smoke from burning creosote also made firefighting difficult. The eastbound lane was totally destroyed. The westbound lane (visible in the photograph) was also extensively damaged. 960 tons of new structural steel and a new roadway were installed over the several months the bridge was closed. A photograph of firefighters dousing the railroad on the bridge is included.
Date Created
2021
Date
1928 September 17
Recommended Citation
"Harahan Bridge on fire, Memphis, 1928" (2021). Memphis. 105.
https://digitalcommons.memphis.edu/speccoll-mss-mpressscimitar5/105
Harahan Bridge fire, 1928
Keywords
Bridges--Tennessee--Memphis.
Rights Statement
Archival Statement
This item was created or digitized prior to April 24, 2026, or is a reproduction of legacy media created before that date. It is preserved in its original, unmodified state specifically for research, reference, or historical recordkeeping. This material is part of a digital archival collection and is not utilized for current University instruction, programs, or active public communication. In accordance with the ADA Title II Final Rule, the University Libraries provides accessible versions of archival materials upon request. To request an accommodation for this item, please submit an accessibility request form.
