The Raleigh Professional Fire Fighters Association, in collaboration with the Raleigh Fire Museum, is delving into the past to present a slice of the city's fire-fighting history to the public. A recent social media post features a retrospective on a significant event—a blaze that consumed the IGA Grocery Store at 718 N. Person Street on the night of December 20, 1992.
According to the Raleigh Professional Fire Fighters Association's post, the fire was reported at 9:36 p.m., with the first responders observing smoke from the building's rear and immediately calling for a second alarm. Efforts to combat the fire became urgent as the first alarm rang, with firefighters tried forcing a rear door and, nearly 20 minutes later, two teams entered the front of the store.
The post goes on to explain that signs of the fire overhead were apparent, and the intensity escalated, as flames were visible at the storefront by 9:53 p.m. Utilizing a Snorkel, Truck 1 aimed a master stream onto the building's roof, while additional truck companies launched master streams from various angles. The historic photo attached to the post, taken by Jeff Harkey of the Raleigh Fire Department Photo Unit, depicts the scene with hand lines employed to shield the fire engines from the radiant heat.
Despite the valiant efforts, the store, along with its contents, was a total loss. "Three firefighters were injured and treated on the scene for smoke inhalation," the Raleigh Professional Fire Fighters Association's post detailed. The incident left a scar on the community, as the grocery store, once serving as a local staple, was ultimately not rebuilt.
