Firefighter Record
Firefighter Details
| Name | Bernard Kuhlman |
| Agency | Quincy Fire Department |
| Rank | Driver |
| Type of Firefighter | Career |
| Age Range | 36 to 40 |
| Sex | Male |
| Date of Birth | 9/30/1880 |
| Date of Death | 7/25/1917 |
| Cause of Death | Contact/Exposure |
| Nature of Death | Burns |
| Attribute of Death | [not applicable] |
| Type of Duty | Firefighting operations |
Incident Details
| Incident Name | N/A |
| Incident City | Quincy |
| Incident State | IL |
| Incident Date | 7/23/1917 14:0 |
| Incident Location | Street/Road |
| Incident Attribute | Explosions , Traffic accidents , Fires |
Incident Summary
Bernard Kuhlman, who was often called “Ben,” was born in Quincy on September 30, 1880. He lived in Quincy his whole life. He worked as an iron molder until his appointment to the Quincy Fire Department. Ben was the assistant driver for Company #6, which at the time was located at 17th and Broadway.
On Monday, July 23, 1917, just after 2 PM, a Ford motor car backfired and caught fire at 12th and Broadway. Engine Company #6 responded to the general alarm. When the crew arrived, Firefighter Kuhlman grabbed a fire extinguisher and headed toward the car. When he was within three feet of the vehicle, its gas tank exploded, covering him with flaming gasoline, burning him severely and causing internal injuries from the heat and toxic vapors he inhaled. He was taken to St. Mary’s Hospital and was attended to for two days, but the burns he received were too severe. On July 25, 1917, he succumbed to his injuries. During his funeral ceremony, the bells of all the fire stations tolled in tribute to him.
Ben was 36 years old and had been a member of the fire department for two-and-a-half years. He was survived by his wife Emma and five children, ages 5 to 12. Ben’s brother Joseph was a firefighter in Chicago at that time and his brother George would, several years later, become a firefighter for the City of Quincy.
Summary by James Pioch, Quincy Fire Department.
Citations:
"156 Years of Smoke, Sweat, and Courage: The History of the Quincy Fire Department" by Marcia Kuhlman Cray
Firefighter and Incident Images
