by Paul Hashagen

Now Available! The updated 2nd Edition of A Distant Fire

This 2025 edition has additional information and new, more relevant photos.

First printed in 1996, A Distant Fire captures the spirits of the pioneering men and the thrilling intensity of events that served as the foundation of the FDNY; the fearless ladder work of Battalion Chief Nash, the spectacular World Building fire of 1881, fought during a raging blizzard with gale force winds and watched by 5,000 spectators; phenomenal scaling ladder rescues, astounding rope rescues, and the first Borough Call in FDNY history, the creation of Rescue Company 1; the Ritz Tower explosion that took the lives of eight firemen, and the day in 1945 when a B-25 bomber crashed into the side of the Empire State Building. Over 100 rare photos and illustrations enhance the impact of these powerful stories.