Auburn Blaze Kills Firefighter Lt. Dwyer
On December 21, 1931, a fire broke out at the William H. Hislop store on Genesee Street in Auburn, New York. The incident began when a fire was reported in the basement of the Hislop Department Store shortly after 12:00 pm. Chief Fred Washburn requested all day and night personnel to assist at the scene as the fire quickly spread and affected the adjacent Richman Brothers building.
Around 1:00 pm, the gas boilers exploded, and walls began to collapse. Concerned that falling debris could damage firefighting equipment, D.M. Osborne requested help from the Syracuse and Moravia Fire Departments. These additional teams arrived shortly after 2:00 pm and began working on containing the blaze. During the rescue efforts, Fireman Bernard T. Shoots sustained head lacerations from falling debris, while Fireman John Mohan suffered a broken leg and an injured back.
After the smoke began to clear around 3:00 pm, Captain Bernard Rooney noted a piece of uniform protruding from under debris. Upon further investigation, the remains of Lt. Irving W. Dwyer were discovered buried beneath the wreckage. Chief Washburn coordinated recovery efforts, and Lt. Dwyer was pulled free and rushed to a hospital. He was pronounced dead shortly after at 3:30 pm.
Lt. Irving W. Dwyer was a member of the Auburn Fire Department who lost his life in the line of duty while fighting the fire.
Source: Auburn NY Fire Department
Source Type: Fire
Source Location: Auburn
| Dec 21, 2025 at 12:00 AM | Fire |
First Responder Hockey Charity Showdown on Ice
Charity hockey features first responders, Penguins in Valentine's Day battle.
| Jan 7, 2026 at 12:24 PM | Fire |
Deion Sanders Spotted at Red Wings Ballpark
Deion Sanders visited Red Wings Ballpark during his time with the Syracuse Chiefs.
| Jan 7, 2026 at 10:11 AM | Sports |
Buttonwood Grove Winery Launches Complimentary Holiday Tastings
Buttonwood Grove Winery holds complimentary weekend tasting events at local retail stores.
| Dec 19, 2025 at 8:27 AM | winery |
Livingston EMS Paramedic Wins Prestigious ALS Award
Livingston County EMS paramedic Meghan Kiefer honored as advanced life support expert.
| Dec 9, 2025 at 2:15 PM | Gov |
Ontario County Sheriff's Office Adds New Team Members
Ontario County Sheriff's Office expands team with three new hires and promotion.
| Dec 1, 2025 at 2:57 PM | Police |
Syracuse Game, Beer, and Tacos at Finger Lakes
Syracuse game, $3 beers, and Taco Tuesday promotions at The Finger Lakes Lounge.
| Nov 25, 2025 at 1:52 PM | restaurant |
Isaac Heating Attracts 700+ at Oswego Job Fair
Isaac Heating and Air engaged nearly 700 attendees at Oswego BOCES job fair.
| Nov 21, 2025 at 2:15 PM | Heating and Cooling |
Auburn Holiday Parade Fulfills Promise, Earns Praise
Auburn Police praise Holiday Parade, credit media and AFSCME Public Safety.
| Nov 20, 2025 at 4:14 PM | Police |
Cayuga Sheriff's Office Enhances Outreach, Training in October
Cayuga County Sheriffs promoted community outreach, training, and enforcement in October.
| Nov 20, 2025 at 1:59 PM | Police |