Plaque at Peekskill Pub Honors Firefighters Lost in Fleischmann Blaze

A plaque honoring the seven men who died in a blaze at the Fleischmann Yeast Factory on Peekskill’s riverfront Aug. 1, 1918 is a new addition to the wall dedicated to first-responders at the Quiet Man Public House.

The idea for the plaque originated during a conversation with local firefighters who recounted the tragedy one night at the pub, according to owner Chuck Mc Greal.

"We thought 'Wouldn't that be nice?'—to put that on the bar and name the firefighters," Mc Greal said.

The plaque, which lists the names of the men, was unveiled earlier this month in front of a crowd of Peekskill Professional Firefighters and members of Cortlandt Hook and Ladder Co. 1.

Gerald Selleck, whose grandfather died in the fire, was in attendance, as was Peekskill musician Tim Murphy. He performed The Firefighters Creed, an original piece that is the official anthem of the New York State Fallen Firefighters Memorial.

"That was a major tragedy for Peekskill," Mc Greal said. "...It seemed like a fitting thing to do. It's just a small way of thanking the men and women that going into uniform everyday to keep our streets safe, just a small way of saying thanks."

The plaque dedication would "not have been possible without the hard work from Joe McGreal of the Quiet Man who set everything up, and Pat MacLennan from the Peekskill Firefighters Association who helped to organize the event," according to Brittany Hays, one of the event's coordinators.

Here's how the plaque reads:

In memory of the seven Peekskill volunteer firefighters who died in the Fleischmann's fire, August 1, 1918
Louis Barmore * John Torpy * James Selleck * George Casseles * Clarence Lockwood * Dr. Charles Greene * Walter Cole 

The plaque and the photos of first-responders that surround it aren't the only items at the Quiet Man dedicated to locals. There are names of patrons, who Mc Greal describes as "loyal customers, regulars and characters" all around the bar—which is made from wood that made up the original deck of WWII's Battleship North Carolina.

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The Quiet Man Public House is located at TK. Read more about the Fleischmann fire here.