In 1974, a fire on Main Avenue destroyed six historic buildings in the middle of the 800 block and killed two young first responders who were trying to save others.
Main Avenue Fire 1974: On Aug. 25, 1974, more than 24 hours after the fire started, firefighters are mopping up and the middle of the 800 block is in ruins.
Main Avenue Fire 1974: Helen Nossaman snapped this photo on Aug. 25, 1974, of rubble in the street after six buidings were demolished in one of Durango’s most destructive fires.
Main Avenue Fire 1974 After firefighter Nick Parks III and Durango Police Cpl. Gale Emerson were killed in an explosion, no more first responders were sent into the building. Firefighters battled it by pouring water in from outside, both from the street level and up on ladder trucks.
Main Avenue Fire 1974: Amateur historian Helen Nossaman created this map to document the destruction of the fire.
Main Avenue Fire 1974 Amateur historian and photographer Helen Nossaman documented the fire for several hours. Ths was shot at 7:25 a.m. from the center of Main just south of 8th Street.
Main Avenue Fire 1974 Between the smoke and the steam from all the water turned on the fire, it was difficult to see exactly what was happening, but the destruction was impossible to hide. Amateur historian and photographer Helen Nossaman snapped this photo at 7:10 a.m. from the corner of Main and 9th Street.
Main Avenue Fire 1974 Amateur historian and photographer Helen Nossaman snapped this shot at 6:45 a.m. from 8th St. and Main. The Kiva Theater’s run of “The Sting” starring Robert Redford and Paul Newman, was abruptly terminated.
Main Avenue Fire 1974 Helen Nossaman snapped this photo from the current location of the First National Bank of Durango drive-thru to show what what happening on the railroad tracks side of the buildings on fire.
Main Avenue Fire 1974 At 7:30 a.m. Aug. 24, 1974, Helen Nossaman took this photo from 8th Street and Main Avenue, They would be putting out hot spots into the next day. Water was running down the street and into the basements of the buildings on the block.
Main Avenue Fire 1974 Helen Nossaman snapped this photo at 8:50 a.m. Aug. 24, 1974, from Cemetery Road. The smoke was visible 30 miles away.
Main Avenue Fire 1974 Helen Nossaman shot this photo from up by the cemetery at abut 8:30 a.m. Aug. 24, 1974. The fire had been burning more than four and a half hours in the 800 block of Main Avenue by this point.
At 9:15 a.m. Aug. 24, 1974, onlookers at the intersection of Main Avenue and Ninth Street watch as firefighters battle the blaze that killed Durango firefighter Nick Parks III and police Cpl. Gale Emerson and destroyed most of the western 800 block of Main Avenue. Amateur historian and photographer Helen Nossaman tracked the progress of the fire.
