February 17, 2017 marked the 51st anniversary of the Morningstar Paisley Fire.

Morningstar was a company that made preservatives and adhesives. It was an explosion felt in Hawthorne High School and Lincoln Grammar School (today known as Lincoln Middle School). There was a total of 18 people injured and 11 people were found dead in all the debris: they died either from choking or smoke inhalation.

The forces of the blast caused a railroad box car to flip on its side. The firemen used almost 12 million gallons of water on the fire. Hawthorne Fire Company 1 has a penny that sat on the table throughout the fire. Policemen Harry Shortway said one victim was all blue and he felt his heart and it was not beating.  

The fire was believed to be started by corn starch  It is an honor to say that there is still one active firefighter today from the Morningtar Paisley fire and it is Kenneth Silvestri, he is on fire company 3 and he is a graduate from Hawthorne High school class of 1950.