Edward Flatow 1878 - 1931

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In the early morning hours of March 25, 1910 Edward was working as a night watchman, stationed in a small shanty on Payne Avenue, guarding a home quarantined for smallpox. At the time, contagious disease was feared deeply, and watchmen like Flatow stood long, lonely shifts to protect the public.
Edward was a one-legged man, relying on an artificial limb, which he had removed while resting inside the shanty. Just after 5 a.m., an oil stove exploded, instantly filling the small structure with fire. Trapped inside, Edward threw a carpet over the stove and managed to hurl the burning heater out of the building, suffering severe burns to his face and arms. His hair and eyebrows were scorched away as flames surged higher.
Before he could reach his artificial leg, fire blocked the doorway completely. He used a hammer, knocked down part of the wall, and crawled out through the opening. He collapsed nearby from exhaustion and injury. Neighbors, responding to his cries, found him barely conscious. A physician was summoned, and Edward was taken home to recover.
Edward would live another twenty years, dying in 1931, at the age of 53.

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