The Community Fire Company of Rising Sun, Incorporated, is said to have been "Born of Ashes" during the summer of 1921. On June 13, 1921, a fire erupted from ignited gasoline vapors in an alley between a Methodist church and a storage garage while a gasoline tank truck was filling an underground tank. The fire involved the tank truck and the nearby buildings in town, spreading beyond control by the time Rising Sun's apparatus arrived to the scene, among them a hose cart, chemical extinguishers, and two wheeled 40 gallon extinguishers. The town fathers realized the inadequacy of their equipment and called for assistance from Oxford, Elkton, Perry Point, Havre de Grace, Fame and Water Witch of Wilmington, Port Deposit, Kennett Square, West Grove, and Newark. In four hours' time, the fire was under control, but Oxford returned near 11pm to douse embers stirred by high winds. See article Rising Sun Swept by Fire, below.

Within a week of the immense fire, the resulting helplessness prompted townsmen to gather themselves into what was to become the town's organized fire department. Sixty-eight men initially volunteered to join the company. On June 23, an organizational meeting resulted in five administrative officials and 12 directors being elected, and the By-laws and Rules committee arranged. The Community Fire Company of Rising Sun, Incorporated was officially born on August 4, 1921.

Rising Sun Swept By Fire

Disastrous Blaze --Garage, Dwelling and Church Burned--

Fire Companies Come To Aid Of Town

Rising Sun was visited on Monday morning by the most disastrous fire, in point of property loss, in the history of the town. The blaze started at about 10:15 o'clock, and being on Main street in the very heart of the town in a few minutes assumed such proportions as to threaten destruction of almost the entire business section.

Calls for aid were immediately telephoned every nearby town with apparatuses and to Wilmington responses coming from Oxford, Elkton, Port Deposit, Perry Point, Havre de Grace, West Grove, Kennett Square, Newark, and Wilmington.

The fire was checked after it had destroyed a four-story frame business building, two-story frame dwelling, second story of adjoining brick business and dwelling structure, all the property of Scott Wilson, the large two-story Methodist Episcopal Church, and a big automobile truck. the loss will total fully $60,000.

The fire started in the alleyway between the four-story frame garage and plumbing establishment of Scott Wilson & Son, and the M.E. Church, where a big auto tank-truck, belonging to the American Oil Co., of Baltimore, in charge of George Harrison, of Bel Air, was engaged in filling an underground tank with gasoline, and was beyond control before the town apparatus could be brought into play, the attempt to extinguish the blazing gasoline at the truck with small hand extinguishers proving futile.

The flames spread with such rapidity that at first it was thought the town was doomed. Surrounded buildings, however, were saved by the work of citizens and the 150 or more firemen who came from adjoining towns after pleas for help had been sent.

The Oxford Fire Company was first to arrive, getting on scene in twenty minutes from the time of receipt of the call. They were followed in rapid succession by the Elkton Co. and others named, Wilmington sending two companies, the Fame and the Water Witch, the former making the run of about 30 miles in 55 minutes.

The blazing gasoline at the truck in a very short time caused an explosion that blew the cap of the manhole off, flames spurting high in the air and setting the entire side of the garage on fire, as well as the frame work on top of the belfry tower of the church, 70 feet above the ground, and too high for the streams from the town hose to reach.

The fire spread with great rapidity throughout the four-story garage building, there being a second terrific explosion of gasoline and oils in the back part of the building that threw burning embers far and wide, endangering property all about.

With the collapse of the garage structure the flames had spread to the frame dwelling and soon ate their way along the second story of the brick store and dwelling adjoining to the brick dwelling of Mark Ely. The thick walls of this old, substantially built structure enabled the fireman to check the conflagration at this point, before it reached the gents furnishing store, a frame structure, of M. Ely & Son and the Maryland House, a large four-story brick building. An army of willing workers had been hurriedly carrying household goods and stock from the dwellings and store to places of safety and much was saved, but in a badly damaged condition.

As the fire spread to the westward, the brick church structure, directly east, across a narrow alley from the garage, fell pray to the flames.

Fearing the fire was about to spread to the three-story furniture store and the four-story department store, both conducted by E.R. Buffington & Son, streams were directed on these frame structures and the two-story frame parsonage in the rear of the church. These properties were all saved.

The church, which had but recently been refitted at a cost of $5,000, was completely gutted, the piano and a few chairs only from the Sunday school room, being saved.

The garage and plumbing business of Scott Wilson & Son, with a large stock of auto and plumbing accessories, tools, etc., was completely wiped out, their dwelling and most of their household goods, clothing and personal effects also being swept away, the loss falling doubly heavy on them and reaching fully $30,000, with insurance of about one-third this amount. The loss of Mark Ely and the firm of M. Ely & Son, gents furnishers, was principally through water and the damage in removing household effects and store stock. The roof of the dwelling was damaged by fire and rooms water soaked. Their loss will reach about $2000, and is covered by insurance.

 The Midland Journal, Fri. June 17, 1921