Martha's Vineyard Lifestyle

Airport Hanger Burns Febuary 1972

It was a night to remember, a cold raw rain had left in its wake gale force winds that would reach over 65 to 70 mph. I was asleep in my bedroom only 1500' from the old World War II hanger when I was awaken by my parents in the early morning hours. In those days the airport area was pretty desolate and while the calls went out for help I grabbed my camera and moved toward the burning mass. Flames began to build on the west side of the building and were whipped around the side by the blowing gale. In minutes the complete three stories were engulfed in flame and the sparks could be seen as far east as the eye would reach. The huge mass of this building totally engulfed in flame was a memory I would never forget and many nights I awoke in fear that I was reliving this horrible night. In the end several planes and over 21 automobiles were reduced to rubble. The loss to the county was over 1/2 million dollars and a building that could not be replaced. The only positive note was that the heavy rains that day prevented a much larger disaster as the state forest might have caught fire.

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This building burned so fast there was little hope of saving anything, by the time the island fire departments arrived the building was totally engulfed and water pressure from the old airport well left much to be desired.

All photo's are the property of Don Macdonald

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