Oakdale Rural Fire District Entrapment 1926

Early on the afternoon of July 5, 1926, an engine from the Oakdale Rural Fire District staffed by W. C. Bach, Oscar Klaber, and Frank Rossli responded to a rapidly expanding vegetation fire burning through wheatfields, grass and brush east of Oakdale, California. During initial attack of this fire, the engine became incapacitated and was overrun by fire. Bach and Klaber were seriously burned. Rossli received minor burns. All three were taken to Oakdale Hospital. The engine reportedly had issues with a faulty or broken wheel, a problem which had occurred on the same fire earlier that day. All three firefighters reportedly survived their injuries. 

Entrapment, Burn Injury, Engines, Initial Attack