Annapolis Fire Department Marks the 61st Anniversary of the In-Line-of-Duty Death of a Fallen 16-Year-Old Volunteer Firefighter

The Annapolis Fire Department today gathered to commemorate 61 years since the tragic passing of Firefighter Schwallenberg, who died at 16 from smoke inhalation while battling a three-alarm warehouse fire on Virginia Avenue.

According to the fire department, on September 7, 1964, Firefighter Schwallenberg died from smoke inhalation while battling a warehouse fire at Virginia Avenue and Chinquapin Round Road in Annapolis, just one day shy of his 17th birthday. It is believed that he, along with two other firefighters, entered the warehouse from the opposite end where the fire originated, becoming enveloped in smoke, and despite wearing breathing apparatus, was overcome by the fire's conditions.

Despite using breathing apparatus, the extreme conditions led to his collapse inside the structure. He was pronounced deceased at the hospital. In total, 12 firefighters were hospitalized for smoke inhalation, six of whom were 17 years old.

This fatality prompted the Anne Arundel County Commissioners to study the need for a paid fire department, a discussion that continues to influence our fire services. He is buried at Hillcrest Cemetery in Annapolis.