Station 6 serves Dundalk and the surrounding communities in Baltimore County, Maryland.
Prior to 1919, the Highlandtown and Canton fire stations provided fire service to Dundalk. On Jan. 1, 1919, these two stations were absorbed by Baltimore City in a major annexation. This created a dire need for a fire station in the Dundalk area.
In 1920, Baltimore County began construction of a new fire and police station in Dundalk. During construction, fire personnel and Engine 116 were housed in a crude, wood-framed structure at the Sparks Farm, near Northship Road. It was not uncommon for snow to drift across the beds in the fire station.
In 1921, fire personnel moved into the new station at Shipping Place and Market Place. Firefighters proudly served at this station for 38 years. Population growth and increased demand for service led to a new station at Sollers Point Road and Dunmanway. The station opened April 25, 1949. Within the year, Dundalk received a new fire engine, ambulance and ladder truck.
A s
econd engine was placed in service in 1952; the ladder truck was transferred to the Towson Station in 1955. On Nov. 6, 1986, the County broke ground for a major expansion and renovation of the Dunmanway Station. This included three drive-through engine bays, a large kitchen, several offices, a training room and locker room facilities for men and women.
1973 -- Lt. Richard W. Ocheltree died from cardiac arrest after returning from call.
1978 -- Lt. Ray W. Smith died from cardiac arrest after returning from a fire.
1984 -- Firefighters James A. Kimbel, Henry W. Rayner, Jr., and Walter J. Bawroski, Sr. died battling the Shiller's Furniture Store fire (see below).
2003 -- FS Thomas Brown died at his home from cardiac arrest after completing a 14-hour shift.
On Monday Oct. 22, 1984, at 1:33 p.m., an alarm was struck for a fire at the 
Shiller's Furniture Store -- a 210' x 130', two-story block building -- in the 7400 block of Holabird Ave. While enroute, Engine 6 advised heavy smoke visible a mile away. Engines 6 and 61 arrived at 1:37.
Crews began an aggressive interior attack, and at 1:41 p.m. a second alarm was requested. As engine companies stretched lines to the inside of the building, they noticed there was a third floor not visible from the outside. A third alarm was called at 1:52 p.m.
Con
ditions deteriorated rapidly. One firefighter said he almost was blown out of the structure by a flashover-like condition. He reported that three firefighters were still inside. He was the last firefighter to leave the building alive.
Crews made several attempts to extinguish the fire in the rear of the building so they could continue their search for three trapped firefighters, but to no avail. A short time later, three firefighters reportedly exited the rear of the building. Originally, crews mistakenly believed these were the missing firefighters.
A fourth alarm was called at 2:12 p.m. and a fifth at 2:32 p.m. A special call f
or four additional engines was made at 2:55 p.m.
A roll call of Department personnel revealed that three firefighters could not be accounted for. Crews tried again to search for the missing, but multiple collapses of the building hampered rescued efforts.
The bodies of Firefighters Walter Bawroski and Henry Rayner, Jr. were recovered in the rear of the building later that evening. Firefighter James Kimbel's body was recovered the next morning in the center of the collapsed building.
Revised May 11, 2007
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