1941 Ocean Bluff Fire

"At precisely 1:40 p.m. a fire broke out at the corner of Ocean Street and Plymouth Ave. at Fieldston. It swept through the high, dry grass with winds exceeding thirty miles per hour. Such high winds, coupled with extreme dryness caused by a rainless Spring, set in motion an explosive fire that shot flames one hundred feet high. Smoke could be seen from as far away at Provincetown and Nantucket. The Ocean Bluff conflagration raced before the west wind, leaping the blocks, firing the houses simultaneously, and exploding all buildings in its relentless path southeasterly toward Brant Rock Village. All attempts to stop it failed. Firemen and equipment came from all over the south shore. Volunteers fought untiringly. Backfires proved useless. From the top of Rexhame Hill it appeared an unbelievable inferno capable of burning the sea itself. It seemed to threaten the existence of the earth, like Fourth of July fireworks gone crazy. One witness said that the liquor and beer in the casino exploded. Windows in the houses would cloud up with smoke, change color, then blow up as though a bomb had hit them, sending debris up to six hundred yards away. It burned for four hours. Finally at sundown the wind died down and the fire was brought under control at 5:30 p.m., just before dynamite charges were about to go off in an attempt to create a backfire. These had been placed from Samoset Street to Brant Rock Chapel in front of the houses lining Ocean Street. The last house burned was at the corner of Samoset and Ocean street".