1928 09/29 CA Luis Chacon & unknown firefighter, probably F. Romero

 

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Incident Name:  Mill Creek Fire, San Bernardino National Forest, CADate: 9/29/1928Personnel: 2 lives lostAge:  Agency/Organization: US Forest ServicePosition: firefighters

Summary: 

Luis C Chacon, described as a "youth" , US Forest Service, of San BernarodinoUnknown firefighter, over 21 according to the coroner but also described as a "youth" in mediaarticles, US Forest ServiceThe unknown firefighter was likely to  have been F. Romero of San Bernarodino, as reported byhis and Chacon's 7-man crew chief; alternatively it might have been Manuel Vasquez fromanother crew, who was reported as missing by his mother because he had a gold filling like theunidentifiable young man; she didn't want to go view the bodies.

On 9/29/1928, ninety-seven firefighters were fighting the Mill Creek Fire on the San BernardinoNational Forest. An 8-member crew and others were trying to contain the fire at the head ofCrystal Creek. "On a steep hillside embers rolled below firefighters working there, startinganother fire." A number of the men saw the danger in time and escaped. Two were trappedbetween the two fires and didn't make it. Luis Chacon and a second unidentifiable firefighter

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1928 09/29 CA Luis Chacon & unknown firefighter, probably F. Romero

were entrapped and died. These were the first deaths on the newly formed San BernardinoNational Forest.

Maps

burnover deaths occurred near the head of Crystal Creek, on the Mill Creek Fire

{mosmap lat='34.125040'|lon='-117.024187'|marker='0'|text=Near the head of Crystal Creek'}

Map of the Mill Creek Fire, 1928

 

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1928 09/29 CA Luis Chacon & unknown firefighter, probably F. Romero

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Reports, Documentation, Lessons Learned

- Death Certificate for Lewis Chacon

- Death Certificate for the unknown firefighter; given the 7-man crew with two not returning,the young man was probably F. Romero according to his crew boss.

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1928 09/29 CA Luis Chacon & unknown firefighter, probably F. Romero

- Media articles naming Luis Chacon and explaining the difficulty with identification of thesecond firefighter who was burned beyond recognition.

 

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1928 09/29 CA Luis Chacon & unknown firefighter, probably F. Romero

- Fire History -- 1928, Region 5: California

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1928 09/29 CA Luis Chacon & unknown firefighter, probably F. Romero

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Wildlandfire.com Links:     Return to top

Media Articles and Reports     Return to top

Photos, Videos, & Tributes - The unidentified was buried in an unmarked grave at Hillside Cemetery in Redlands, CA. - US Forest Service Heroes Memorial: Luis C Chacon and an unidentified firefighter   Return to top Contributors to this article:  John Miller: Hat tip to the folks at the San Bernardino Countyrecords office and Cortner Mortuary who went out of their way to provide information.  

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