| Name | Donald Newquist |
| Agency | Springfield Fire Department |
| Rank | Captain |
| Type of Firefighter | Career |
| Age Range | 36 to 40 |
| Sex | Male |
| Date of Birth | 2/9/1926 |
| Date of Death | 1/16/1967 |
| Cause of Death | Struck by object |
| Nature of Death | Trauma |
| Attribute of Death | [not applicable] |
| Type of Duty | Firefighting operations , Hose operations |
| Incident Name | N/A |
| Incident City | Springfield |
| Incident State | IL |
| Incident Date | 1/16/1967 22:30 |
| Incident Location | Storage |
| Incident Attribute | Structural collapses , Fires |
On January 16, 1967, Captain Donald H. Newquist of the Springfield Fire Department died in the line of duty while fighting a lumberyard fire.
At around 10:30PM, the Springfield Fire Department received an alarm for a fire at the Springfield Builder’s Supply Company located at 19th and Mason Streets. Newquist responded to the fire as company officer for the Engine 5 firehouse, and firefighters from every fire company in the city and seven volunteer departments also responded to the alarm.
The west wall of the burning warehouse collapsed as Newquist was leading a hose line, and he and four other firefighters were buried under the burning lumber and other debris. Newquist was transported to St. John’s Hospital, where he succumbed to severe head and chest injuries.
Funeral services for Newquist were held at Cherry Hills Baptist Chuch on January 19, and he was interred at Oak Ridge Cemetery. A World War II veteran and a member of the Springfield Fire Department for seventeen years, Newquist was survived by his widow and two children.
Citations:
“Seek Cause of Lumberyard Fire,” Illinois State Register, January 17, 1967.
“Services Thursday for Capt. Newquist,” Illinois State Register, January 17, 1967.