Remembering ‘Iron Mike’
What was the fate of man who nearly died in 1919?
A1919iteminthe Looking Back feature in Monday’s Times Union was dramatic enough — an Albany firefighter badly injured responding to a call for a two-truck crash.
Warren Abriel Jr., a reader who is also a retired city fire chief, pointed out that more intriguing events followed.
One hundred years ago this month, fire Capt. Michael Fleming was fighting for his life after he was injured while responding to the 8 p.m. call — which turned out to be a false alarm.
Abriel said the injury happened on a foggy night when Ladder No. 3 collided with the Chemical Wagon of Steamer No. 10. Fleming, who had joined the department in 1892, was tillering (maneuvering a truck) and thrown to the curb, striking his skull. He fractured the back of his skull, and it was feared he would not survive.
According to a 1919 Times Union account, a prominent Albany citizen offered a $500 reward for information about those responsible for the false alarm, and police were now seeking a man and two boys seen running from the call box on the corner of Quail and Hamilton streets.
According to an article that appeared in a local fire service news, Fire Chief William Bridgeford said four other firefighters were hurt, as well as two horses, one of which had to be shot. According that account, Bridgeford said false alarms were getting too frequent. “Every effort should be put forth by the police to arrest the miscreant who turned in last night’s false alarm. If he is caught he should be shown no leniency ... I class him no better than a murderer.”
Abriel said readers might feel they were left hanging, so he offered to fill in the rest of the story.
Fleming, in fact, survived.
After being unconscious for several days, he finally regained consciousness and started a long recovery. But he went back to work after the accident, was promoted to battalion chief and in 1923 was appointed “Chief of Department.”
“His career spanned the horse drawn apparatus, wooden ladders, motorized apparatus, metal aerial ladders and diesel engines,” Abriel noted. Into his 80s he was still showing up at fire scenes.
“They didn’t call him ‘Iron Mike’ for nothing,” Abriel said.
Fleming retired on Dec. 1, 1968 after 76 years of service — 45 years as chief — but he died before the month was over.