Wake up Station explosion, August 14, 1969, time unknown

Description: This is a digitized recording of a dictabelt, which the Indianapolis Fire Department used to record dispatch calls during the 1960s and 1970s. Following are the calls on this dictabelt: 1) Office staffer asks if Spanky Ends died and if anyone else had died. Dispatcher only has names of ten injured, no word on condition. 2) Keller called to ask if someone could lock his car at 38th street with cameras and equipment in it. 3) Caller reports on timeline Wake Up Station explosion, first alarm was at 5:08, second call at 5:19, then 5:22. Developing a report on the fire. 4) Floyd calls to report on fire caused by incinerator at 3201 E 10th, owners are Stephen and Dorothy Brown same address, building was 2 story brick. 1 tank and 1 extinguisher were used to extinguish fire in basement rear. Asks about injured firemen. 5) Caller asks about injured firemen, dispatcher confirms that ten were injured, mostly from 28s and 31s, the first responding companies, since the filling station exploded after they responded. 6) Joe Schmutte called to ask if Bill is ok, Dispatcher did not have his name on the list of injured. 7) Woman asking what stations responded to the Wake Up station fire, looking for her husband on 14s. 8) Bob Engle, president of Pilgrim Life Insurance, called asking for chief wanting to know who had died. They insure the firemen. 9) Cooper called to ask who got hurt, dispatcher says 10 injured, call interrupted. 10) Boots Tuttle asks who was injured, dispatcher says just one is dead, Charlie Ends, and everyone else is doing ok so far, station blew up after firemen responded. 11) Return to Cooper, agrees that theyve had trouble with Wake Up station before. 12) Charlie Collins called saying chief wanted to share info with dispatch on who was been taken to hospital, James Keith, Jack Dowden, Nancy Eaton (miscarriage). 13) Ernie calls to ask about fireman who died, dispatcher puts him on hold. 14) Dispatcher trying to get a message to firemen at 38th Street. 15) Rick Simms from A shift called to ask if names of injured released. Next of kin not yet notified. Asked about brother-in-law Jack White, dispatcher advises his condition is fair. 16) Back to Ernie, says that Ends name was mentioned on channel 6, though names should only have been released through the chief. 17) Dispatcher calls general hospital registrar looking for Ralph Arnold. Registrar directs to emergency.
Dictabelt
Indianapolis Station 28; Indianapolis Station 31;
Origin: 1969-08-14
Source: http://www.digitalindy.org/cdm/ref/collection/ffm/id/90348
Collection: Indianapolis Firefighters Museum
Copyright: Copyright Undetermined
Subjects: Ends, Charles R., 1935-1969
Emergency communication systems
Fire departments--Indiana--Indianapolis
Fires--Indiana--Indianapolis
Indianapolis (Ind.). Fire Department--History

Further information on this record can be found at its source.